Slithering in the Shadows
by PurpleInkling
Summary: Did I know back in second year that I was falling for darkest wizard of all time? No. Did I think he was the prince charming he appeared like? Luckily, no, I knew he had a dark side, just did not know how dark it was.
1. In Hogwarts

**Slithering in the Shadows**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hogwarts or any other places, characters, or etc. in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.

**Rated:** T

For those of you who are keen on the accuracy of Harry Potter Fanfictions, my story tries to keep in tune with J.K. Rowling's own story plotline. I did, however, have to adjust a few things. As the story goes on, I will inform you of the things that I have adjusted if it was not already explained completely in the text, and without giving away much of the story...

This is my first fanfiction, so reviews would be wonderful! It would be great to know how I am doing. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Did I know back in second year that I was falling for darkest wizard of all time? No.

Did I think he was the prince charming he appeared like? Luckily, no, I knew he had a dark side, just did not know how dark it was.

* * *

Chapter 1: In Hogwarts

More than half the girls in the school giggled his name in furtive whispers to one another, whenever the subject of boys propped up. I was just one among the many Slytherin girls that would watch him enter under long lashes into the Slytherin common room. Despite his lack of lineage, he was treated like the king of our house at Hogwarts. Perhaps it was because of his alluring nature and air of grandness that he was respected by the purebloods. It was rumoured that he was a mudblood. But inconspicuously unfortunate events tend to happen to those who gossiped too loudly, so it always died down quickly. He was one of the brightest of all of the Hogwarts houses, let alone Slytherin's, which in itself is a strange occurrence. Adored by most teachers and ghosts alike, it seemed he always got to do more interesting things and explore more fascinating places than the rest of us.

So what girl would not fancy the pale brown haired glory known as Tom Marvolo Riddle? I certainly did harbour a crush of my own on him. But it was not the girls that did not find interest in him, it just that he was not interested in them, unlike most of the other Hogwarts boys, who envied the number of admires Tom had.

I think I noticed it more than the other girls, or the rest of the school did. Tom was always alone. He was admired and quite popular but it was not the same. He never got owls. He never discussed his past. He most definitely never was excited whenever the holidays came; rather he seemed to be depressed, almost angry that he had to put a hold on his studies. He never shared any of his possessions. He never started up conversations that were not about studies. He never murmured or shared secrets with anyone. All in all, Tom Riddle did not have any friends, family or any sort of personal relations with anyone, nor did it seem like he wanted any.

He basked in the admiration of others, and manipulated others in way so that they were convinced that they were his soul confidents, but I somehow saw through his facade. When you got down to the bare dirt of things, none of his so called friends knew a thing about him. The things they said if you had asked them to describe him would result in very different stories. One would claim that he was particularly fond of butterbeer, and another would say he was adept at making love potions. Neither of which I later discovered were true. (I mean which Dark Lord is fond of the giddy and bubbly feeling that comes with butterbeer or has any interest in dabbling of love potions, let alone love). But no one else seemed to notice the ambiguity of the whole thing, just me, and it puzzled me deeply. I felt as if Tom Riddle really was just that, a riddle.

The other girls that took notice of the little time Tom wastes on flirting felt all the more encouraged to pursue him believing that they might be the lucky maiden that he dreamed and yearned for all this time, not those other ones. By fourth year, some of them were extreme fanatics that hissed at any other female not a part of their tight knit group who approached him. I am still unsure as to whether or not he knew about the activities the Sly Sisters, which was what they began to call themselves, carried out in order to make sure he only saw them as potential dates. Regardless of how much they closed in on him, it seemed that none of them could cross beyond that boundary he had set up around him since he first came to Hogwarts as a pale yet dark scrawny little boy.

Well you now know a lot about my crush, but what about me? I am a Slytherin. Perhaps it is my desire for power that got me into this mess with falling for Tom, for he practically reeks of power. It is, like I said, probably why the purebloods embrace him like a brother, not that he returns the favour. Anyways, back to me. If I could just keep my mind off of Tom long enough to tell you who the narrator of this tale is so I may be remembered in some way. Besides wanting power, I am a pretty docile person. Perhaps I should elaborate; it does not mean I am not adventurous, it's just my adventures seem to be to the benefit of someone else, and three guesses as to who that is usually. (It's Tom, for those of you who are slow). I told the Sorting Hat that I wanted to be in a house that would lead me to power, and so it put me in Slytherin. In a sense, I suppose it had led me to power, but I was just referring to simple position of power, such as being the wife of the Minister of Magic. Notice how I say 'wife' not the minister, and that's because that was the kind of power I was seeking. The kind I could get without having to do anything, but have the special freedom to do whatever I pleased and not have to worry about money. My life was not like that. It was a position of power that I had, but it was one I most definitely could not flaunt and yet have worries about money as well. My place in life was one that no one else in the world knew about, except Tom. Its secrecy was part of my empowerment, but really, when you got down to it, what is the use if no one else knows? Since love is blind thing, I really did not mind, as long as Tom knew.

Was I pretty? Sure, I suppose. I have that envied combination of black hair and green eyes. The Sly Sisters sure did not like it. But, I did not pose a threat to them. My crush on Tom was a quiet one. In general, I was a quiet student. Alone, like Tom. Maybe that's why I noticed his loneliness, because it was like my own. I did not have close friends, because I was afraid of sharing my circumstances with them. I had a family unlike Tom, but they never felt like a family. I am the youngest of seven. I kept to myself almost everywhere I went. I almost tried to make self a part of wall paper, and it usually succeeded. Only when guys happen catch my eyes do they bother to take a second look, and notice me. I have been asked to a date by a lot of them, but I declined all of them. The Sly Sisters liked that, because I believe they deduced that I was not interested in guys. To them I was just a quiet pretty faced nerd, and I was a nerd because I got better grades than all of them, not that I was a genius or something. You probably think I say no to other guys because of my crush on Tom, but it was not just that. I am under a curse, one of ancient magic; and therefore long lasting and unbreakable. But I will get to that later. I want to get a lot of things off my chest, yes, but maybe not that much just yet.

Oh, I forgot to tell you my name. It has been a long time since I talked to anybody, though writing is not the same as having a conversation with someone because it is one-sided. Nevertheless, telling someone your name is supposed to be one of the first things you tell someone when you meet them, and I forgot about it. Just tells you how long it has been since I have been in the social picture, not that I ever was particularly social. My name is Naglia Darcini, aka Nagini, as Tom decided to call me in half attempt to hide my identity in later times. And yes to those of you who connected the dots, I am the snake, an illegal animagus, with a piece of a Dark Lord's soul to boot.

But let's back up a bit, to where fifth year comes along at Hogwarts. Here I am, an ordinarily pretty girl, still harbouring feelings from second year about an unapproachable boy that nobody knows anything about. Ah well, what can you do, the heart is not a particularly practical one…


	2. Bellatrix Black

Chapter 2: Bellatrix Black

I was walking up the black marble stairs in the Slytherin common room to the girls dormitory wing thinking about the ill luck symbol in the my tea leaves in divination class, when I ran into a first year coming down.

"Watch where you are going! What are you, a muggle?!" spat the dark curly haired girl straightening up from falling back on the stairs.

"Sorry, um…" I fumbled in my brain to produce a name, but as usual I was having difficulties keeping up with the names of the first years in Slytherin. Every year I have to learn a new batch. And it is not like I could just not worry about it, like the kids in some of the other houses because Slytherins were mostly purebloods. Among the upturned noses of the some of these purebloods, it was almost a crime to not know their names. Their entire family takes offence, and I would have to answer to my family for offending them. I not going to say all of them purebloods are picky about it, just some of them think they are the royalty of the wizarding world. And by the way the little girl infront of me was raising her eyebrow at my pause, she was one of them.

"Bellatrix Black," she snapped, "You must be a mudblood."

"Um, no, I am Naglia Darcini," I replied, cause one's name itself is an assurance that you are a pureblood, since there are not that many names that can claim so anymore.

"I know that. It is why you are a mudblood. You must be your father's bastard child. Does your 'mother' know that you were not really her daughter?"

I fumed. Sure, my father and mother never got along. Sure, my father had left my mother two years back after raising seven kids to marry a muggle, but that has nothing to do with me. In fact I was happy, because my parents no longer had anyone to scream at anymore, and everyone could live in peace now in their own private sectors of life. Sure, my father never even ventures into the wizarding world anymore, not even to visit his seven children. Sure, the peace my mother enjoys is by wallowing down various alcohols to distort the amount of shame she brought upon her pure blood family. Sure, that even the pure blood family on my father's side had abandoned us because they blamed my mother for my father's dishonouring behaviour. But what right did this little Trix have to go that far? None.

"How dare you, you little stuck up princess of newts!" Or so I wanted to say, along with a good hex. But, like I mentioned, I have a talent for not drawing too much attention to myself. If I had yelled that, most definitely all the other students in the common room would turn to watch. I was not an entertainer. But I could not just keep my mouth shut either, so with composure that unnerved even me I said, "I assure you Bellatrix Black that I am my mother's daughter. I apologize for walking into you. Good day."

I went around her frozen face and continued up to my room. I did not see her again that day, but how I wished I would never have to see her again _after_ that day. But some wishes just do not come true.

* * *

Trix, as I began to mentally call her for she was not worthy of the 'Bella' part of her name, was becoming instantly popular. Even Tom had not gotten as popular in his first year. Tom was a sulking preteen when he came. But he quickly had taught himself the etiquettes of the pure bloods and how to present a glamorously cool face that made others admire him on the spot. Manipulation was his true goal, not to make friends, and to manipulate you had to be attractive in a deceptive way. He was well practised by second year, and from there his popularity had picked up. Trix, on the other hand, was already well bred in the art of deceptive beauty and manners when she arrived in first year. Unlike Tom, Trix was not just out to get the fame and admiration, but also friendship of all the top pureblood offspring. Never did she waste an opportunity to declare her disdain against mudbloods. Teachers that stuck up to pure blood families did not mind her, but others would frown upon her. She was, consequently, unpopular among the non-purebloods, and blood traitors, but in her world they did not matter.

The only person for whom she overlooked this principle in life was for Tom. She fancied him from the moment he flashed a smile at her as she sat down at the Slytherin table after the sorting. She gossiped about how Tom must have been orphan child of some esteem pureblood family, who removed themselves from the muggle polluted society that magical world had become. Tom smirked when he first heard this and winked to Trix whilst putting a finger to his lips and a flirtatious way of telling her to keep it a secret. She was immediately scooped up into the Sly Sisters family, who worshipped her like she was destined to be the queen among them. They asked her how close she was to Tom. She would slyly reply that she was close enough. At least she had the brains, as to not make up more stories. The one rumour she did make up, flew about like wildfire from student mouths to ears.

It was strange indeed. Tom seemed to have obtained another ethereal layer of mystifying nature due to the various distorted rumours about how he was the pureblood son of lost clan of the wizarding world. Trix now walked with girls flanked on either side of her. She was taking the Sly Sisters to new heights. Many of the Sisters were her seniors, my own classmates. It disturbed me for some reason when I would see the girl not yet into purberty leading a group of sixteen year olds as they silently walked to and fro around the library where Tom usually spent a lot of his time researching. Tom, though he ignored them for the most part, seemed to enjoy the attention.

How do I know this? Because I sit usually a couple of desks away from his spot, and catch through the corner of my eye the sly smile on his face when the Sisters stroll by. Did I stalk him? Not really. More like, when you are person who likes to be alone, you tend to be in the library. There you can find peace from the real world in the pages of a volume. So here I could have my peace, yet be near the one I have a crush on. Unlike the Sly Sisters, I could sit in front of a book for hours on end and never become irritated with it, and so I do not have to resort to walking by the door or among the shelves every ten minutes. If Tom ever changed reading spots, I would not follow him, because again, it would be bringing attention to me. And I was not that besotted with him, at least not in that way. I do not go to the library all the time either. When I do go, it is not always when Tom goes or only to watch him. So all in all, my observations are inconspicuous when I do watch him. That hardly can be said about the Sly Sisters. They thought their spying methods were ingenious, but the whole school knew, but they just keep their lips zipped about it. Why have the wraths of the Black family bear down on you?

But it seemed that I already did have it bearing down on me. Most people forget me after I bump into them and apologize. But Trix did not. I was definitely not on her important list of people in the pureblood world. She did not directly insult me like she did with mudbloods, but she refused to completely acknowledge me either, in a way that showed others that I was unworthy of her time. Her dislike for me spread among the other girls, so if I did want to make friends it would not be easy. I think her behaviour towards me was to get me isolated from everyone else, and to serve as some sort of punishment. But, I was used to being isolated so it did not bother me, like I think she hoped it would. Trix was too immature to realize not everyone craved attention like her.

* * *

In J.K. Rowling's original plot, Bellatrix is supposed to be sixteen years younger than Tom. Obviously, I have changed that by reducing the age difference to five years. I did not make Tom younger, rather, I made Bellatrix older, because I wanted to stick with the fact that Tom was in fifth year in 1943.

For those of you waiting for the third chapter, be assured that I am working on it, halfway through in fact, its just that I have run into a minor roadblock. I get around it do not worry, but I just wanted to let you know...


	3. Rooster Blood

Chapter 3: Rooster Blood

The second month of fifth year came to an end, and snow was going to fall any day. (And yes, Trix had managed to do all that in two months.) I was walking down one of the halls after Charms class, when I noticed the group of students all clogged up in front of me. As I drew near, I eavesdropped on some of the whispers going around.

"-whose blood do you think that is?"

"Its rooster blood… All the school roosters were killed last night…"

"What, really? That must have been why Peeves was yelling 'Cuck-a-doodle do! All the chickens are dead, murdered meat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with feathers red!'"

I had heard some of the boys mention the incident in class, but I did not think much of it. As peered among the crowd of students I could see the Headmaster Dippet, Professor Slughorn, and Professor Dumbledore discussing with one another with scrunched up faces. Behind them though, on the wall was an inscription, written in blood.

**From the depths of the Chamber of Secrets, opened by worthy heir, shall the will and power of Salazar Slytherin be unleashed! The unworthy of the wand shall perish and the true wielders shall be exalted. Beware all ye of the Monster!**

The Chamber of Secrets, now where had I seen that before? I had a vague feeling that it was from the library, but I could not pin point exactly what book or incident it was that rang that bell of familiarity in my head. There was a monster on the prowl? And did they mean mudbloods when they said those unworthy of the wand? It fit, because it would have been a typical Slytherin thing to say if this Chamber was indeed opened by an heir. I turned my attention to the whispers again.

"-of Secrets is supposed to be the hidden place Slytherin left behind when he disappeared."

"-only his heir could open it."

"Who is the heir?"

"-ha, I always knew the mudbloods had it coming for them," snorted Trix. She was standing a few feet away from me. I could smell her rosy perfume from where I was, and it seemed the boys around her were trying to inhale as much of it all in.

"So, what happened?"

Someone had just come up behind me, and asked me the question. I half turned to see Tom, all cool and collected looking at me with a questioning look. I almost dropped my Charms books right there.

"Um… I think someone killed the school roosters and used its blood to write a message on the wall," I sputtered.

He seemed slightly amused by my response, but resumed a more sombre expression and said, "It's just someone's twisted view of a prank then right?"

"I do not think that's just it. The message is about the heir of Slytherin having opened the Chamber of Secrets, which seems to have a monster in it, whose goal is to clean the school of mudbloods." Where did I get the courage to say so much to him? So much to being silent and unnoticeable… And my conversation with Tom was being noticed by others for sure, especially by Trix.

"What do you think the Headmaster is going to do about?"

At this point, Trix had shoved her way through the crowd in time to answer his question, whilst discreetly stepping on my foot, "The Headmaster is discussing plans on how to protect the students with Professor Slughorn, and Professor Dumbledore. Mr. Pringle has gone to inform the Ministry. Oh, Tom, are you not excited? The heir of our house founder is amongst us today! _He _is sure to put things right in the wizarding world! I imagine he is _most handsome_…"

She, surely, could not be implying that she thought the heir of Salazar Slytherin was Tom. But she was, because Trix then winked at him. Tom smoothly replied, "I am sure he is handsome and brave indeed. I would not want to dip my hand in chicken's blood to write that message. Blood makes me uneasy, because it makes me think of death. I am not one to go around in the dead of night to slaughter roosters."

Trix frowned. Her admirer had obviously disapproved of her conclusions this time around, but luckily when her followers had come around to flank her on either side, they had missed what Tom had said. She was quick to recover from the incident, to cover up her folly. I, conversely, had once again become a part of the wall paper, with a sore foot. Trix then said, "I suppose you are right, Tom. The culprit must be an estranged child who thinks they are the heir, but surely not if they dabble in chicken's blood. What child of Salazar would trifle with such things? If it were something more, perhaps, say a mudblood…"

This time Tom frowned, ever so slightly and replied, "I do not think anyone would claim to be the heir of Salazar Slytherin, without being so. And for all we know, rooster blood may have some magical properties unknown to rest of the wizarding world except to the children of Salazar Slytherin. I do not think the heir of Slytherin would want to smear the walls of Hogwarts with muggle tainted blood either. At least I hope they would not. There are enough muggles in the world as it is…"

"My, my, Tom you are absolutely, right! It seems that I have not considered all the different possibilities…. How are you ever so bright, Tom? You think of everything!"

"Are you the heir, Tom?" piped up one of the girls that had come to stand beside Trix.

"Of course not! Tom is not one to play around in blood. He does not go sneaking around the school finding hidden chambers. He is far beyond such magic," snapped Trix, turning to the girl, who zipped up immediately.

Just then Headmaster Dippet spoke, "Students, please continue on with your classes. This hall however shall be restricted. And students must return to their dormitories by 7 pm every night. If ever you see anything out of the ordinary, please report it immediately to your Head of House. Now, off you go, and no lingering Rubeus, they were just chickens. This time at least…"

At the other plugged end of the hallway was a half giant Gryffindor, Rubeus Hagrid, who seemed to be soaking a small handkerchief with slobbery, tears, most probably, mourning the roosters' deaths. The tall burly boy seemed to make friends only with the animals in the school. He was not particularly bright or good at magic. He seemed to always get himself in trouble by sneaking in various prohibited pets into the school. Only Professor Dumbledore seemed to look upon him with genuine kindness. Even now Professor Dumbledore was patting Rubeus' back as he led him down the hall, while Headmaster Dippet and Professor Slughorn continued to speculate and ignore Rubeus' noisy sobbing.

I followed the Slytherins back to the Slytherin common room, and fetched my Potions books. In the Potions classroom, the class chatted away as they waited for Professor Slughorn to arrive. Each table had four cauldrons and four students sitting there. Potions class was the only class where I sat nearer to Tom than any of the Sly Sisters. And since it was a fifth year class, there definitely were not any annoying first years called Miss Black present either. I was at the same table as Tom. He sat at the corner of the table diagonally across from mine. We did not often look up at each other, besides to see how the other was doing in making a potion. The two other companions at our table were Hufflepuffs. Most of the chatter at our table was between those two. Charld Hawking and Poppy Seamsworth were dating. And unlike the rest of the class who were discussing the incident today, those two were in their own romantic world.

"Charld, stop staring at me, you are making me blush," giggled Poppy, "You are making me as red as the rooster blood on the walls."

"No, it looks more like there are roses growing on your cheeks," replied Charld, who was propped up on his elbows staring intently at Poppy, "Wait, not roses, but poppies."

"Stop it, Charld. Do something else."

"What else is there to do without the Professor here? All I can do is to stare into the eyes of my love…"

I thought I would puke. The Hufflepuff lovers were the only negative point of Potions class. And they were a mega minus. Poppy sat right next to me, and Charld next to Tom, who discreetly put all his things as far as possible from Charld. Tom and I sank into the background, trying to be oblivious to flirtations between those two. But it was not easy, when they sometimes leaned over all our cauldrons for a quick peck. On some days, I wanted to dunk Poppy's blonde head into the cauldron when she leaned over, or giggled at too high of a pitch. Professor Slughorn came in, fortunately, before her tittering reached the next highest pitch, when I might have done exactly what I was holding back on these last two months.

"Pardon me class, it has been frightful day today," announced Professor Slughorn, as he went to the front of class. The students quieted down, and Professor Slughorn flashed a smile to Tom, as he usually does at the start of class to his favourite student.

"As you heard, the hall where the inscription is on the wall is off limits, and you all must be in your houses by 7'o'clock." The class moaned about being too old to be sent to bed so early.

"No complaining now… Until this situation has been resolved, there will be some new rules in place to ensure everyone's safety. If you do not like the situation, then that's unfortunate, cause that is the way things are going to be until the culprit is caught… Hmm, it would be fascinating to find out who is the heir of Salazar Slytherin… But never mind that, turn to page 236 in your textbooks, and let us start to learn how to make…"

The class droned on, with Hufflepuff lovers occasionally winking at each other in some sort of demented romantic game, and Tom speaking up to answer Professor's Slughorn's questions, when no one else had an answer to give. It seemed that the opening of the chamber of secrets was not much of a worry for anyone. I mean, who cared about an opened secret chamber that had been closed since after Salazar Slytherin himself had left the school? For all we knew, the monster may have been long dead.

On the contrary, the monster was very much alive, more so than before, but nobody else knew about it… except for the very cunning boy sitting diagonally from me.

***

The week went by as it normally would, except for the 7'o'clock dormitory parameter and visits by Ministry officials. It seemed the whole Chamber of Secrets thing was being passed of as some sort of prank that took things too far. Headmaster Dippet would scan around the whole assembled school every morning as he reminded us that the restriction on our bedtimes would remain until the culprit was found. And the restriction was really beginning to bug us, seniors at least, but none of us knew who the culprit was and therefore could do nothing but pout.

It was not particularly pleasant thing to be stuffed in the same house as Miss Black for a longer period of time. Before I could escape to the library until 9 came around, and after only then would I run the risk of running into her. You must be thinking an extra 2 hours with her could not hurt, but it was plain annoying. She would, with her high pitch voice, go on rants about how stupid the entire staff was and how they should not be restricting the freedom of civilized purebloods in this way. Civilized? Her demeanour puts the rest of us to shame.

Tom was almost never in the common room after hours, he was most probably in the boy's dormitories. Since there is nothing to interest Trix in the common room, she would spend most of her time in the girl's dormitory. Luckily, she was not in the same room as me since she was from another year, but she was close enough to my chamber to make it impossible to work in peace. I could not work in the common room either, cause that was where couples resorted to carry out their after class flirting. Out of my two options, I decided to endure the squeals of the Sly Sisters next door than more lovers, because I have enough of that from Potions.

Today was like any other day since the incident. It was Wednesday November the tenth and Trix was insulting another wayward pureblood. The pureblood in question had invited muggle neighbours to dinner. Oh my, the world is going to end! Or so it sounded like from Trix's mouth. I tuned out the Sly Sisters and tried to recall what Professor Dumbledore had said was the trick to the particular transfiguration work we had done that day. Unknown to us, Slytherins, and Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, the rest of Hogwarts was in pandemonium.


	4. Phasing

Chapter 4: Phasing

Petrified. That was the condition in which the Ravenclaw student was found. The friends of second year student, Rostil Gomer, noticed Rostil's absence a little after 9. They had thought he was in his room, turning in for the night before the rest of them, since it was a thing he did often. They realized he was missing when they went up themselves. They told the prefect, who informed the head of house, who then called upon the headmaster, who launched a search by the staff. had found Rostil in the hall of the knights of armour. The whole hall was wet, with a couple of the knights knocked over in the water. Mr. Pringle was muttering about how the armour was all going to rust now when he noticed the young boy at the far end of the hall. Rostil was huddled in between the legs of one suit of armour, staring wide eyed at the knight's shiny leg plate. It certainly was an uncomfortable position to frozen in and it was a bit of a challenge to transport him to the hospital wing all curled into a ball as well.

Morning in the Great Hall was quiet, except for Trix. She seemed to remember her support to the heir of Salazar Slytherin, for she was cheering the heir's efforts in a quiet voice. Rostil Gomer was muggle-born, and Trix was grinning like a cat as she declared that the rest of them will follow his fate as well. The Ravenclaws stared death at Trix every time she released a muffled giggle, but she was not paying them any attention. Professor Dumbledore, Professor Slughorn, Professor Beery (Herbology), Professor Merrythought (Defense against the Dark Arts), and Madam Blossom (Nurse) were not present as they were all trying to find a way to cure Rostil.

Letters had been sent that morning to families. And by noon-time mail, the Great Hall could have passed to be the Owlery. Even I had a letter from my mother. She was concerned; but not about the larger scale events happening at school though, for her letter said:

**Naglia,**

**Stay out a trouble, and out of young Miss Black's way. Try to make friends with her not enemies by insulting her. She is from one of the top pureblood families. And remember to smile once in awhile as well.**

**-Mother**

I burned the letter right on the spot without even having to lift up my wand. I was getting better at non-verbal magic. As I finished up the rest of lunch, Peeves came into the Great Hall. He fleeted around Headmaster Dippet's head hollering, "There's more blood on the wall! The Chamber is real, and the monster is loose! Who's the heir of sly old Salazar?!" He stretched out the name in an opera fashion. It was a no wonder Peeves was dead; how could anyone stand him? All the same, what Peeves said seemed to be true, though none of the students were permitted to go down that particular hall. I waited until next class. I was sure to find out then what was written on the wall then. My next class was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Merrythought.

"Professor, what exactly is the chamber of secrets?" asked a brave Gryffindor in my Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The whole class leaned forward to hear the answer as they held their breath.

"Well, you see… There were the four heads of Hogwarts when it was founded, and three of the founders, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff did not agree to a certain condition Slytherin wanted to place on the type of students that attended. Purebloods, in Slytherin's opinion, were the only class of people he felt should have the privilege to learn magic. In his anger at the others for rejecting his idea, he built what is described in the legends as the Chamber of Secrets. The purpose of the creature within was to fulfill Slytherin's dream of having a pureblood school. History also speaks of him leaving Hogwarts after constructing the chamber. He closed the chamber to be opened by his future heir when his bloodline should return to the school. He was never seen of again…"

"So, Professor, nobody knows where this chamber is after all these years?" asked Tom.

"No one, Tom, though many searches were conducted, no one could find it. People had begun to consider it a fairy tale until these events… Mr. Gomer in the hospital wing can assure it is no myth; if he could move to say so… It would be hard to convince anyone that the condition is in is just the aftermath of a simple stunning spell. The magical influence that boy is under is of the Dark Arts or the effect of the monster the heir is claiming to be in the chamber. Most definitely not average class material though…All of us, professors, have attempted one spell or another on the boy… But to no avail. In fact, Professor Vitate (Charms) had tried just before lunch to charm awake, and instead all the windows and curtains in the room were opened... We will have to search up another remedy and set into motion enchantments that take various processes to procure. Professor Beery has his work cut out for him, for herbological remedies are not easy things to brew up. And by not knowing exactly what this monster is, none of us truly know what we are trying to cure…"

"Will Rostil never wake up?" asked a sombre faced Gryffindor girl.

"We do not know that yet… But we know that he is not dead, because he shows some vitality…"

"What do you mean, Professor?"

"His soul, essentially, still inhabits his body… Enough, let's get back to learning, shall we…"

"But Professor, what is the monster?" asked a blond haired Slytherin boy.

"If anyone knew that, , we would not be having this problem today, right? Pay attention will you please, Mr. Humbyt, at least to my lessons so that I may feel that I am not completely wasting my time on you…Now-"

"-wait! Please Professor, one last question, can you tell us what was written on the walls again?"

"I am not sure I should… Professor Dippet did not particularly want the teachers to share this information until we have decided upon the next course of action…" Upon our insistence, Professor Merrythought had told us, "Alright, considering it will not be long before all you know anyways, and since I am sure Professor Dumbledore has already informed his students. He felt you had the right to know, and lucky for you bunch, I do agree with him." According to Professor Merrythought, the heir had written in rooster blood:

**The legend lives, and its hunger has not been satisfied yet…**

It was a wake up call to the school. The heir was telling them that this was no petty prank. People were becoming scared, especially mudbloods. Students had to be with a buddy always. My buddy was Madrie Hadras, a timid dark skinned girl in my year, and one of the girls I had been sharing a dormitory room with ever since first year. She was from a pureblood family in Africa. She was the youngest like me, and the only one of her three siblings to not to have married a muggle, at least as of now. Trix often commented about how the hot air in Africa was muddling with her siblings' brains to make them do such atrocious things. I ended up with her because no one wanted to be with me, and she was too shy to ask anyone, not that I was asking around either.

The head of house, in our case Professor Slughorn, collected the names of the buddy pairings on a piece of parchment, which he routinely checked everyone off on every night to make sure everyone was back by seven. But who said people did not leave later in the night? Who was there to regulate that? Other than to watch the door out, of course, there was nothing keeping track of the number of students out at all times. And I assure you, we students with a strong resolve to be out will find a way out. The halls were patrolled by the other teachers who were not heads of houses, but the teachers were no match to the number of halls in Hogwarts. So there was always a way to remain unseen…

***

Madrie truly should have been in Hufflepuff, and it seemed at times that she wanted to be in that house as well. During our buddy times, which were usually devoid of conversation, it seemed that Madrie had a habit of randomly bursting into talk about a personal thing that was bugging her. She told me that she was in Slytherin because she told the hat that she wanted to be in a house with as little muggle stuff as possible. It seemed she did not like how the rest of her family trifled with muggles so much and for once wanted to stay as far away from them as possible at school. Consequently, she ended up in Slytherin. I think she was jealous of all the attention her newest muggle sister-in-law got in trying to fit in with the wizard family. Besides that, she had nothing truly against muggles. She had nothing else in common with the rest of the Slytherin house beyond that point. She was interested in very different things from most of the other pureblood Slytherins, let alone the rest of the Hogwarts students. And Hufflepuff was the place for such students.

As two more weeks went by, I had learned many more odd things about Madrie, but did not care to share any secrets of my own. My secrets were not trifle things, like Madrie's secret hair treatment. She rubbed egg white in her hair before she showered to give it the shiny glow it had afterwards. She had various other natural beauty enhancing tricks as well, and it was no wonder that she particularly liked Herbology.

It was 10:30 on Tuesday night, and next door the Sisters were discussing Tom's scent. Incidentally, my room suspiciously smelled distinctly like olive oil, but I did not want to ask snoozing Madrie why it was so. She was snoring away in her bed, with her luminous curls splayed out around her head. The smell seemed to be coming precisely from the luminosity of those curls.

The Sly Sisters moved on to the subject of what type of food Tom seemed to like best. As interesting as the conversation next door may be, I had my hand on my head and my brow was scrunched up in worry, as Madrie continued to snore. I could already feel my grades begin to slide down, as the Ancient Runes homework in front of me began to blur. I had a migraine again. It made me vulnerable to phasing.

Fortunately, Madrie was deep asleep and the two other girls with whom I shared my room with were not yet in. One was Giselle Worton, who was downstairs spending time with her boyfriend, and the other was with Trix, since Tareese Fryth was a Sly Sister. I put aside my Ancient Runes work, vowing to finish it early next morning and began setting up my pillows and sheets so it looked like I was sleeping there in the emerald sheets. I pulled the black drapes closed around my bed, hoping that no one would even want to check on me. Usually when I come back things are how I left them.

I headed to the other side of the room. Between the beds of the Giselle and Tareese, there was an abandoned rat tunnel that I had sniffed out in my first year. Without my wand, which I set on the ground for easy access after, I turned into green snake with black diamond spots. I was becoming quiet adept at non-verbal spell casting, when it came to frequently cast spells. In my snake form, I peered around to make sure no one else had noticed my transformation. Madrie's blood was the only live scent in the room, and she was still snoring. I wondered if my other two room mates had gotten any sound amount of sleep in the last five years. Actually, it was only the last two years since Madrie had begun snoring. But all the same; I could not stand being in the enclosed dormitory on some nights, so naturally I would leave on some nights.

Carefully, I swallowed my wand partway, and effectively wrapped my forked tongue around it so that only a part of it was protruding out of my mouth. In this way, I took my wand with me as I slithered through rat hole in search of a place away from the other students.

The tunnel opened up to the school hallways just behind a pillar near the wall. I slithered out, and while keeping to the side of the wall I dragged myself onwards to the library. It was much cooler out, but I felt a little warm. And it seemed my migraine was not left behind when I changed forms. My eyesight was out of focus and I was struggling to keep my wand in my mouth. Perhaps the library was not such a good idea after all, it was a long way off, and the closer girl's bathroom seemed to be a better place to be at the moment. I wanted to vomit, and the snake in me liked the idea of a damp place. I hoped I knew how to get there in snake form fast enough.


	5. Secrets

Chapter 5: Secrets

After what seemed to take ages, I made it to the bathroom. I spat out my wand and transformed. I was kneeling on the ground beside a stall, sweating. Darn, it seemed I had picked up a fever and stomach flu. In the midst of the Chamber of Secrets happenings, people have been going to Madam Blossom for a remedy for the new sickness going around as well. Yesterday in History of Magic class, I overheard a Ravenclaw boy behind me muttering to a friend of his about the bitterness of the draught when he had taken it that morning. I would have to get the potion from her in the morning, because I hardly think she would want to see me in the dead of night... Not that I could make it there in this state, or am allowed to be about for that matter. I pushed the green stall door, and hobbled in on my knees to the toilet, which was not easy in a night gown. I flushed when I was done purging my insides into the bowl. I would not have been surprised if I had lost any organs in the process.

Just then I heard what sounded like a huge weight dragging on the floor, along with a pair of feet. My body froze as my heart set of on a race against fear. I heard hissing, and a cool voice announce, "It seems to be an eventful night, Ethelinda…"

With shock I realized three things; the heir spoke Parseltongue, the beast was some sort of snake and the heir was Tom Riddle.

"Kill her." And the fourth thing I realized was that I was the next target.

"No! Your master mistakes me! I am a pureblood, worthy of Slytherin's mercy!" Some sort of self preservation instinct must have kicked in when I blurted that out in Parseltongue (a talent one has as an animagus snake). I mean who says 'worthy of Slytherin's mercy' on a normal basis?

I could feel the serpent's breath above my head, paused, as if confused at hearing me speak. Tom, too, seemed to be surprised, for I heard him inhale a sharp breath. "Stop! Come away Ethelinda…"

I dared not to move, knowing movement could excite the snake into catching me with its jaws in one quick reflex. Even as I thought that, I realized how I was not even sure if the monster was truly a snake. But some part of me recognized the slithering sounds it made as it stirred as if it were me, a larger version, moving as a snake.

"You are of Slytherin blood?"

"Umm, I do not think that is so…" If Tom was referring to the fact that I inherited my ability as a Parselmouth from the Slytherin bloodline, then that was not the case. No, I inherited a curse from my bloodline, and the side effect was being a Parselmouth. And as far as I know, Slytherin was never mentioned to be one of my ancestors in my family. He was not responsible for the curse, rather a distant grandmother of mine, who was up to no good.

"You are Naglia Darcini?" he asked next, in English now and in a rather commanding way.

"Yes." I must have looked really sick, or I had been doing a good job at being inconspicuous for the last five years for him to be unsure of whom I was. As I was getting tried of having to talk to him with my back turned to him, I started to shift around to face him.

"Wait! Close your eyes, both of you!" he warned in Parseltongue again. I immediately obeyed, sensing the caution in his voice. I had turned around and the air was still. I heard Tom come forward and pick up my wand on the ground beside me. I swallowed my protest, for now was not the time to anger an heir in control of a beast. In English, Tom said, "You can open your eyes now."

Timidly, I opened my eyes. Before me was Tom holding two wands, and standing daring close beside an enormous bottle green serpent all curled around the girl's bathroom's round collection of sinks, with it head nestled in a sink and its eyes closed. I cringed, and bowed before the King of Serpents, as the snake within me described the beast. I was not a normal animagus, because my animagus ability was not learned, but one I was born with. It was a part of the curse. As it was, the snake within me at times has the capacity to take charge of my actions on its own. Let me clarify that this does not mean that there is another being within me, which just takes over my body; instead, what is know as the alternate face of my soul is expressed more prominently. (Trust me when I say there is a difference because both have happened to me.) I transformed immediately into a snake, coiled myself up and tucked my head between my coils in a sign of respect to the Great One. In my snake form I hissed, "I acknowledge your presence, Mighty One."

With my heightened senses as a snake, I heard the great beast move. "I hear your greeting, little one," replied the serpent simply. "I am Ethelinda."

"Ethelinda, close your eyes again, if you have them open. Naglia change back." I changed, and as soon as I did, he began interrogating me again. My energy was ebbing away at the same time and it did not help being in this form for I require more energy to be in this state. In English, he asked, "You are an animagus?"

"Yes." At least that was the best definition to what I was.

"You learnt this on your own?"

"No, I was born being a serpent animagus."

"Born with it?"

"Yes." No way was I going to give him more details. He had uncovered enough of my secrets tonight, though I suppose his secret as being the heir was a hefty one as well to have parted with. How in the world had I come around to exchanging secrets with Tom in a night gown? What was I doing in the middle of the night meeting my crush in the girl's lavatory with the beast of the Chamber of Secrets? Oh yes, I was feeling unwell, which was where all this started. And I collapsed into snake form again.

"Turn back," he commanded again, coming closer to my small form on the ground.

"I can't… too tired," I hissed back. He narrowed his eyes down on me. I lamely rested my head on the damp floor in response. Seeing that my condition was genuine, he picked me up and folded me into his arms. It was the first of the many times he would carry me. I thought of what a romantic moment this might have been had I been in human form and not sick. From his arms, I looked up into his eyes, and saw a very unromantic expression on his face, as if he was being bothered unnecessarily. Which I suppose is true, but regardless I enjoyed the moment.

I faintly remembered him speaking Parselmouth to a certain sink after Ethelinda moved away from them. The sinks opened up to a tunnel, in which the great serpent swiftly hurtled into, and he soon followed with me in tow. In my fright, I twisted around his forearm as I gripped it for the life of me. After the slight upward tilt at the bottom of the chute, he landed soundly on his feet, just a little unbalanced, and strode after the large form ahead in the dark cavern. He spoke Parselmouth again, but I was not awake enough to understand what he was saying. The metal snakes guarding the doorway unlocked themselves, and the door swung open to reveal what could have been nothing other than the Chamber of Secrets. In my dazed state, it looked like a palace fit for the King of Serpents. Snake heads reared up from the side caverns to border the walkway Tom marched down. Before I realized it, we were at the end of the walkway. I stared as the stone face of an old bearded man swallowed Ethelinda. I later found out that I had been staring at the face of Salazar Slytherin and that Ethelinda's nesting chamber was within. Beyond that point I did not know what happened, because I had finally fallen unconscious due to the multiple transformations I underwent, the stress of the events that had just unfolded and because, well, I was sick.

***

Morning arrived and I found myself on my emerald sheets, sleeping beside the form of my pillow under the sheets. Madrie's voice called from the other side of the black drapes, "Hey, sleepy head, wake up, or we will be late for breakfast!"

Strange, Madrie's voice sounded different, it sounded louder. With a shock, I realized that I was still in snake form. Just as Madrie pulled back the drapes, I transformed. "Naglia, wake up- huh?"

"What?" I said as I sat up, maybe a little too quickly because my head felt dizzy soon afterwards. Being sick is not nice.

"Um, nothing, I thought…" she mumbled, "Anyways, get up!" She eyed my pillow beside me, and said, "Were you hugging your pillow when you slept?"

"Yes, sort of… Why do you care?" I said, as I fumbled to put my pillow back. I must have looked odd, with my pillow under the emerald sheets and me on top of them. Goodness, did Tom not even have the manners to tuck me in?

"You know you don't look too well…." Madrie commented just as the events of last night rushed in on me, as I thought about Tom. Lying back down I said, "And I do not feel too well either…" Not just because I was still sick but also because I realized I was privy to the biggest secret in the school.

"Maybe we should go to Madam Blossom," Madrie said, as she felt my forehead.

"Maybe…" I replied. And I somehow conjured enough energy to get dressed, and tossed my black night gown, which was still damp from the kneeling on the ground in the girl's lavatory last night, into the laundry for the house elves. I tried to make it to the hospital wing on my own but my migraine did not allow me to walk properly, so I was leaning on Madrie most of the way. The trek was silent, as it usually was with Madrie. Eventually we made it, Madrie pushed open the door and we met up with a scene of teachers and staff busily scurrying around as they set down another patient into a bed. Patient is not the correct term, no; the proper word would be victim.

Professor Nutcrow was cheery faced half blood wizard who taught Muggle Studies. His hair was sparse and wispy, and he took great fascination in muggle inventions, like many other wizards do of his eccentric nature. He always wore a strange yellow plaid suit, which he claimed was very fashionable in the Muggle world. Tom never looked particularly happy in that class, more like he was being made to taste unpleasant things, and Professor Nutcrow was too wrapped up in his lessons to notice. All together, he was the perfect target for the heir of Slytherin, for I am sure Slytherin would say the Professor's fascination with muggles was a disgrace to the wizarding world had he been alive to voice an opinion. And so the Professor's frozen stiff body was set down onto the bed by his colleagues. And it seems he would not teach another lesson in awhile, if not ever again. I shuddered as I thought of how I could have been the one being laid down.

"I say, what is that he is holding?" asked Professor Slughorn, pointing to the black thing Professor Nutcrow held to his face.

"I believe it is a pair of binoculars. Muggles use it to see far. George did say he wanted to use it to find the culprit while patrolling the halls last night. I believe he found more than he bargained for. He must have seen the beast and the heir," replied Professor Dumbledore, gently removing the item from Professor Nutcrow's grasp. He set it on the side table.

"Headmaster, a teacher has been attacked. Surely, our efforts to stop this so far have made no difference. I suggest we send the students to their dormitories earlier, since the creature seems not to be able to go there. Also, I do not think it is wise to have our staff monitor the halls at night if we are no match to the beast. Perhaps the beast is more nocturnal and we are only threatened by it at night and in the evening?" proposed Professor Merrythought.

"Perhaps so Galatea, there is no way to tell for sure however. And I most definitely would not want to tempt the beast into entering the dormitories either by putting what is after all in the dormitories. We need to find something else for the monster to feed on, until we can discover a means to be rid of it. We must know what it is… But we cannot have the teachers in the halls any longer to find it… We must hope the beast is nocturnal. I want two teachers to sleep in the common rooms of each house, but I will not restrict the students to their dormitories after class just yet. I do not think it is wise to have the students all together for so long. I would go stir crazy, personally. Mr. Pringle, if you please, go on down to the hall with writing on the walls, and check if our heir has left us another message," Headmaster Dippet said looking away from poor Professor Nutcrow, "Ah, ladies, we did not see you there. It seems you have sick one you can treat, Madam Blossom. I really should remember to caution the students about catching this terrible germ, as you had asked me to do a few days back…"

Madam Blossom ushered me to another bed, with Madrie following, as the Headmaster and other Professors left, except for Professor Vitate and Professor Merrythought. The two women sat on either side of the bed, with worried expressions, and conversed with one another in quiet voices. Madam Blossom went to get medicine, and I turned to look at Professor Nutcrow's bed. Professor Vitate was a young woman, not yet married where as Professor Merrythought was a more elderly lady. But they were the best of friends, always loyal to each other and their colleagues. I wondered if Professor Nutcrow was aware of their presence in his still state. On another bed was a ball shaped form with a blanket on top, I took this to be Rostil Gomer. There were charmed flowers, which swayed to an invisible wind, beside his bed table. Otherwise, the poor fellow was alone.

With a bowl, vial, and spoon in hand, Madam Blossom returned from the storage room. "Here, you'll need that to get it out," she said, as she bustled around Madrie, placed the bowl in my lap and poured a spoonful out from the vial. The boy behind me in History of Magic did not mention any bowls.

"Why do I need the bowl?" I asked just as she shoved the spoon into my mouth.

"The germ in you has grown large enough to withstand dieing from the potion. I could tell because your eyes are red. It will paralyze it, though, and I need you to vomit the germ out, into the bowl if you please," answered Madam Blossom, "You must have gotten it awhile ago, for it to have reached this stage."

After the sour potion had trickled its way down my throat, I felt something in my stomach, which had been unsettled since last night, harden. Vomiting was exactly what I wanted to do, and I did. The green puke stank. It was unpleasant, and now that I looked at it more closely, the green was not a natural colour. I recalled that my vomit the night before had looked similar, except for the bizarre red thumb sized blob floating in the middle.

"Eww," muttered Madrie. She moved away and plugged her nose. So much for the supporting a friend, I thought. Wait, since when had I considered her to be a friend? Interesting, the things one learns about oneself in abnormal situations…

"There it is," said Madam Blossom, pointing at the red thing, "And from how green everything is, it seemed to have really grown in you. You must be experiencing a headache from all the toxins in your body. Here take this, and you will feel as good as new."

I took a purple candy looking from her; it shined dimly in the light like an amethyst. I swallowed the tablet and I immediately felt better, as if a cloud had moved away from the sun to let sunshine rain down on the world. It was a pity the other two patients in the room could not have been cured so easily.

***

In the Great Hall, the Headmaster got up to pulpit and told the school about the incident that happened last night with Professor Nutcrow. The whole school was silent for a moment. He told us of the new plan to have two teachers in each common room from 7 onwards at night. Many of the couples in the school groaned. There went their romance time. In fact, the unromantic atmosphere of the common rooms had led to many break ups among the students. It seemed the death toll for relationships was going to rise. As a side note, Headmaster Dippet mentioned the germ going around. Just as Headmaster Dippet finished up, Mr. Pringle returned and said, "Headmaster, the heir had left a message…"

"Well, what is it Mr. Pringle?" questioned Headmaster Dippet.

"Um… It said:

**Let it be taught that muggles are worthless filthy beings…**"

Mumbled bursts of laughter came from, obviously, my table, while the rest of the school went pale.

"Mark my words, whichever of you who has done this shall pay dearly. You will serve your punishment, when you are caught, in Azkebhan…" This shut everyone up, even little Trix. And so breakfast went on.

Afterwards, I was back in my dormitories checking if I had everything I needed for Potions when I realized I was missing something very important. My blackthorn unicorn hair embedded wand was missing, all morning for it had not occurred to me just yet. Tom had it.

* * *

Sorry I took so long. I just had a lot of details to iron out.

And for those of you who are interested, the name 'Ethelinda' is of german origin and means noble snake.


	6. Acid

I want to first thank all you guys for waiting so long. It seems the more I write, the more compelled I am to check things over a hundred times. You guys have shown me so much support for my first story that I could not repay you in any way but to write to the best of my ability so this read may be worthwhile. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 6: Acid

If you were a person admired by all for your manners, you would think you would have the courtesy to tuck in a sick individual into bed and return their property to them. You would think. Clearly such sensibility does not apply to Tom. The boy I had a crush on since second year, whom I met last night in my nightgown with an enormous snake in the girls' lavatory, had stolen my wand. Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration; he probably just forgot to return it to me. But why had he taken it in the first place? Oh yeah, I had found out that he was the heir of Salazar Slytherin, who had opened the chamber of secrets and unleashed the beast within… He probably kept my wand from me then because he feared what I could have done with it. I could have screamed, set of curses, and what not had I been a normal girl. Instead, when I opened my eyes to see the legendary creature I turned into a serpent myself. Pathetic. What must he think of me? Then again, is it pathetic that he took interest in my condition, and then possibly spared my life because of it? Agh…my head hurts, and just when I could think clearly again after that cold. It made my head dizzy just to think about how many implications there were to be considered subsequent to the events of last night. And as the day progressed, the weight of the secret was only sinking in deeper into my conscience.

Ignoring all that, he still had my wand. Why couldn't he just have left it at my bedside table when he laid me down? Following that thought, I contemplated how last night I had been carried to bed by one of the most elite students of the school. The only unfortunate part of my fantasy moment was that I had been in snake form. So it was not as romantic as in my dreams, but it was a start…

Wait, what am I thinking? I need to formulate a way to get my wand back from him. I am going to need my wand for my classes today. My wand may be in his dormitories so I will need to catch him before he goes to class. Gathering everything else that I needed for Potions class, I headed to the common room in order to find Tom there before he left for class. I looked about the common room but he was not there. Lawerence Humbyt, Tom's buddy, was not even there, so they must have left for Potion's class already. Perhaps I could get my wand from him in Potions class. The lovers would be in their own world as usual, and probably will not notice if I ask Tom for my wand. But would he have it with him?

Another fantasy thought fleeted through my mind as I considered how my wand may be in the same pocket as his wand. Just imagining how our wands could be riding next to one another in one of his pocket's as Tom strode down the halls to Potions class made me smile. Stop! What has gotten into me? I am turning into one of those mushy lovers. Ever since last night's incident, it seems that my affections to Tom seemed to have magnified. Most girls would probably start having nightmares about him after last night, but I appeared to be dreaming about him all the more…And just when I was beginning to suppress my feelings into the depths of my soul as an old fantasy to be forgotten when I mature. Conversely, my feelings seem to be tulips shooting out again just after the winter thaw… Ah! Since when have I been concerned with describing my emotions with flowery metaphors?! Love is crazy. I yet again come to this conclusion, time and time again. Yet again, and again I continue to love him. I must have been born with some other defect besides the ability to change into a serpent. And so these were the thoughts running through my head as I headed to class with silent Madrie beside me.

Tension; there is no other word to describe the feeling at my table in Potions class that day. Even the Hufflepuff lovers were silent. Charld was looking at Poppy with apologetic eyes, whereas Poppy was ignoring his very existence. So much for being happy lovers forever… Tom on the other hand greeted me with a look of suspicion from the moment I entered the class to when I sat down on my chair. I was so scared I sort of did not even want to sit let alone breathe. He looked away when I sat, and my oxygen levels picked up. I wondered as to why I was the suspicious character here, when I really was the victim, well of theft at least but more of the witness for the rest. But where does it say in this world that the witness or theft victim is to be treated with suspicion? I mean, everyone should be looking at Tom with suspicion at the very least.

And how do I tell him that I want my wand, when the other two members of my table seemed to be dying for something to distract them from the unease between them? I do not want anybody to notice… The Sly girls would hunt me down if the get wind of the fact that Tom had my wand. I could sneak a look to him like he did to me. I could give him an angry look, and maybe he would figure out that I wanted my wand back. Or he could get the wrong idea, and think I am upset that he is the heir of Slytherin responsible for all the incidents that have occurred. True, I have not decided what I think of that just yet, but I know I am not mad about it. And giving Tom an accusing look is not any better. My mind was drawing a blank… Ugh, a terrible day…

Professor Slughorn tapped his wand on the cauldron sitting on his desk at the front of the class and began class. Today's lesson was how to make a weed killer potion using the stomach juices of a cow. It was a popular potion among housekeeping witches and herbologists since it is handy when one has a garden.

"Sir, why are we not learning this in Herbology then?" asked Tom.

"Good point, Tom," smiled Proffessor Slughorn, "It is because the preparation of this potion has little to do with Herbology unlike to its uses. For our next set of potion making, of which this is the first, we will be exploring the uses of gastric fluids in brewing potions. Cow gastric fluids are especially good at breaking down vegetation, and with a few more things added in it can make a very effective weed killing concoction. Now you will find what you need to make the potion on page 312."

Perhaps this potion will not require a wand to be used in its preparation. I hoped so, because there is not much I can think of doing if it does. As I turned the pages of my textbook, I wondered if Tom even realized that he had my wand… I looked on page 312, and sure enough, step seven involved the use of a wand. Darn. I glanced up at my table members. Tom was working away like normal. Charld looked like there was a rain cloud over his head, whereas Poppy worked like she was a clockwork doll. Honestly, why did everything have to be miserable today? With no choice, I cleared my throat, looked down at my textbook, and mumbled, "Hm, step seven; use your wand to levitate a lizard tail five feet in the air before dropping it in the cauldron…"

I had added the words 'use your wand' for good measure. Hopefully, Tom caught on. I snuck a look up at my three fellow classmates and saw all three of them watching me. The lovers looked at me like it was the first time they had ever seen me. Well, I am glad to be a part of the walls, but surely you knew at least once that I existed. I guess that was too much to expect from them. Poppy then saw Charld looking at me. She sniffed and returned to her work, working a bit more furiously. On the other hand, Charld looked like he was about say something, but instead sulked some more while mindlessly twirling the ladle to his cauldron. Tom though seemed to understand that I was attempting to communicate with him, for he was reading the instructions down to step seven. At least I hoped that was what he was doing after the effort I put in. I had never drawn attention to myself in potions class like that before, and I do not want to do it again.

As I waited for Tom to figure things out, I went to the back of the classroom where there was a supply of ingredients laid out for the lesson that day. I was the only one back there, for I usually waited to get my stuff last. As a consequence, I did not make particularly good potions because I always got the faulty leftovers for my choice in ingredients. But that was alright with me, because it was better than squirming among the crowd of students to get my stuff. I got back to my seat and began grinding black beetles.

Tom was on step 7, for his lizard tail was just falling into the cauldron when I looked at him. He paid me no attention, as he tucked his wand back into his pocket. Were my efforts futile after all? Depressed, and unsure what to do next I moved on to the next step by adding a few grubs to the mishmash on my brewing board.

"Professor, do you think I should add some more gastric juices to mine?" Tom asked Professor Slughorn lightly as Professor Slughorn strolled by.

Professor Slughorn inspected Tom's potion, and replied, "I think a pint more should do the trick, Tom. Well done so far, I must say."

"Thank you, sir." Tom inclined his head slightly before striding to back. He was carrying on with class planning to get a perfect potion, whereas I can not even hope to get anything right today without the wand he took from me. He was coming back with a vial full of stomach juices. I watched him through the corner of my eye. He was coming around my side to get to his seat. Maybe, he had a plan all along. Perhaps he was going to sneak me my wand as he passed by. My mood cheered up as I thought of the multiple ways he could do that. So I sat up straighter, anxious as to find out what his plan was to do.

Burn; one word descriptions are all I can come up with for the various odd moments of this day. He spilt some of the acid on me and it hurt! I was too shocked to scream. Somehow, I was on the floor rubbing my arm onto my vest trying to get the acid off my arm. I was shaking and whimpering, tears in my eyes. Some of the cursed fluid was even beginning to soak through my vest and was beginning to irritate my skin after soaking my thin white shirt. How much did he spill on me?

In the background Tom was apologizing to me, while the Professor had gone to the back to fetch a pale of water he had prepared in case such an incident should ever occur. The other students stood out of the way, as Professor Slughorn rushed back. Next thing I knew was that I was drenched, but luckily nothing was burning anymore, just stinging. And it was reassuring to know that nobody could tell if I was crying because of all the water. As my body started to recover, the first defined thought I could process after burning was; why?


	7. Hospital Wing

Hope you enjoy this next chapter, and don't forget to keep reviewing! Reviews are really important to me because they inspire me to write more! :)

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Chapter 7: Hospital Wing

Tom pulled me up, as I was staring at the redness of the flesh on my arms. Tom was telling Professor Slughorn that he would take me to Madam Blossom. When Professor Slughorn suggested that Madrie should take me, he insisted on doing it himself since it was his fault. Before my brain could process much else, I found myself being lead by Tom to the hospital wing.

"What was that for?" I stammered, as he was pulling me down one of the halls, his pale hand in my flushed one. He stopped so suddenly that I walked right into him. He turned towards me, and backed me into a wall. It was one of the hallways with no pictures, so it was eerily deserted besides the two of us.

"Did you tell anyone?" Tom breathed into my ear. My breath quickened. He was close enough to kiss, but more importantly, he was close enough to kill me. Or so the atmosphere around him told me. I shuddered and said, "No. No one."

He stepped back, and for a moment I saw a genuine expression of fear fleet across his face as he most probably was contemplating the damage that I could have done. I never did feel a need or desire to tell anyone about what had happened last night. As abnormal as it was, it did not occur to me to actually tell one of the Professors that morning about last night or even the Headmaster for that matter, since I had seen him too. Perhaps I, subconsciously, had already chosen to keep his secret because I loved him. But did that justify it? Probably not…

"You speak about this to anyone, and everyone will know your secret. And I will come for you," Tom threatened, "I will unleash the beast on you, no matter what happens after. Today was just a sampling of what I could do to you. You can run but I will catch you. Understand?!"

I nodded. He took my hand again and proceeded onwards. I followed, while trying to ignore the stinging of my skin and the fact that I had been pressed back against the wall by Tom Riddle. Partway, I regained my brains again and blurted, "My wand-"

"Oh yes, that." He was looking at me again with a calculated smile on his face. He pulled my blackthorn wand from the inner right pocket of his robe. Instinctively, I went to grab for it, but he held it out of my reach. "How can I trust you?"

"Because you can." That was my answer, and I never could figure out exactly why I said that. Perhaps I was in some way trying to tell him it was because I loved him; but in the end, it really did not answer anything. He must have felt the same way because he raised an eyebrow at my reply.

"I can, can I? Alright, it is not like you can hide from me or something. But remember, there will be dire consequences if you let anything slip!" he warned, as he gave me my wand. Tom turned and walked down the hall with both his hands in his pocket. I trailed after him, glad that I had my wand, but gloomy that he was no longer holding my hand. Hey, hand and wand, they rhyme…

We reached the hospital wing not long after, and Madam Blossom was surprised to see me again, "Oh, my, it seems somebody has been having a terrible day today. This morning it was the germ. But now, Miss Darcini, what has happened to you?"

"I spilt some cow gastric juices on Naglia," Tom answered for me, curtly.

"Ah, Tom Riddle is it? You are one of the few charming fellows that I rarely see around here. You must have a knack at taking care of yourself," Madam Blossom laughed, as she approached me to see my condition. Tom smiled, and then turned to look at the two petrified patients in the room. I wondered what he was thinking as Madam Blossom inspected my arm, "Oh my, it seems Mr. Riddle had gotten quite a bit on you. But luckily, I have got just the right flesh growing salve for you. Is there anywhere else you have burned badly?"

"Yes, on my stomach, I think it seeped through when I was wiping my arm," I replied, as Madam Blossom steered me to the back of the wing.

"Alright, you best come around behind the curtains to change. I will get you the salve and a change of clothes." Madam Blossom pushed me behind a set of curtained walls. She came back soon afterwards with light pink cream the same shade as the curtains in a little cylinder container. However, the change clothes she had brought were Gryffindor. "Sorry, it seems that I only have Gryffindor uniform in your size to give to you. The house elves are washing all the Slytherin laundry right now, so they do not have any spare clean Slytherin uniform for you. Surely, you have a change of clothes in your dormitories, right? I do not think your Professor would mind if you go to your House to get a change of clothes. But take the young gentleman, Mr. Riddle, with you, for you best not wander the halls alone at a time like this with a monster loose. Oh, do rub in the salve into your flesh for it to heal."

After she left, I stripped down my diluted acid soaked clothes and started to apply the lotion onto all the scarlet spots on my flesh. It tingled. Slowly the cream faded away to reveal nice smooth flesh underneath, as soft as a baby's cheeks. I felt infinitively better that my mind could even contemplate other things again besides stinging. It was ironic how the nurse thought taking Tom with me to get my own clothes would put me out of danger, when he was the danger. Clearly, the walk in the halls showed how dangerous Tom could be when you were alone with him. But he had come so close to me. I sighed to myself, as I fluctuated between loving him and fearing him, which is the more appropriate of the two in the logical world. But, love is not a part of that world.

I put on the Gryffindor uniform, and walked out to see Madam Blossom animatedly talking with Tom at the other end of the ward. As I approached, Madam Blossom bustled, "Oh, here comes our clumsy one, you best escort her to your house, Tom."

I paused. How in the world had I become the _clumsy_ one? If I recalled correctly, Tom had spilt the acid on me and on purpose too. And since when had Madam Blossom become acquainted enough with Tom to call him by his first name? Again, if I recall correctly, she had been addressing Tom as 'Mr. Riddle' before I had gone to the change (even if she had said it only once or twice).

"Toodles, my sweets! Do not be afraid to drop by another time, and you do not have to be sick or injured to come around here you know, feel free to come anytime," Madam Blossom tittered, as we headed out. For some reason, I felt that those warm invitations were directed at Tom. I glanced back to see Madam Blossom waving at us with a bright smile on her face as the doors swung shut. After, I looked at Tom who was a few paces ahead of me walking unbothered and cool down the hall without even a goodbye to the lady he had conversed with moments before. Then again, who knows if he conversed with her at all? With the flush in her cheeks, it makes one think that he had flirted with her instead. Sure, there are female teachers who admire Tom, like Professor Vitate, but not to the extent Madam Blossom had been acting like.

"I never want to go there again. And I never would have, had it not been for you…" Out of the blue, Tom had expressed his frustration. A frustration that I was not responsible for, because I did not spill acid on me! Sure, I can be clumsy, but not this time.

"You're the one who spilt acid on me! Plus, I thought you had fun, because you flirted with her," I snapped back. Talking back to someone while angry is not a good idea, let me have you know. My thoughts had slipped out of my mouth before I had time to curb it. And at the same instant, I realized I had been jealous ever so slightly of Madam Blossom. I am such a weirdo. But at that moment, I was frozen and cowering like a coward in my mind. I was afraid I had said too much this time. What would he do or say now?

His shoulders shook, as he silently laughed. He jeered, "Of course I flirted with her. I needed another person besides you to cover for me as my witness, as well right?"

I straightened, confused because I was not following. Tom turned to me with malevolent smile. "We are going to do more things than getting you a change of clothes now, are we not?"

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Just for reference for you guys who are getting confused with all the teachers, here is a list of the teachers and staff I know I will be or have used in the story:

Headmaster Armando Dippet *

Professor Albus Dumbledore – Transfiguration, and Gryffindor Head *

Professor Horace Slughorn – Potions, and Slytherin Head *

Professor Galatea Merrythought - DA the DA *

Professor Beery – Herbology, and Hufflepuff Head *

Professor George Nutcrow – Muggle Studies

Professor Jasmine Vitate – Charms, and Ravenclaw Head

Madam Blossom – Nurse

Mr. Pringle – Caretaker *

Ogg - Gamekeeper *

*Note that I do not take credit for the invention of these characters, as they are original J.K. Rowling characters. I do try to develop the characters based of what she had written in my own way, though.


	8. Before Next Class

Sorry, I had not realized I had mixed my two stories up. Anyways, here is the actual Chapter 8 for Slithering in the Shadows. I hope you have been enjoying the story so far!

And also in apology I will also be posting Chapter 9 and 10 today. I know I have not updated my story in forever, but hopefully the two more chapters will appease you almighty readers.

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Chapter 8: Before Next Class

We will be doing more than getting me a change of clothes? What? I stood there stunned. Tom had already turned and walked down the hall. When he reached its end, he half turned to look back at me. "Are you coming, Naglia?" he asked in Parseltongue.

And I went. I am not sure why I got myself involved. Perhaps it was the fact that he had called me by my name that had taken me out of my shock. After getting me to check that there was no one else inside, Tom entered the girl's lavatory where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was hidden. I looked around the place. It looked very different from last night with sunlight streaming in through the large circular windows facing the circular round of sinks down the aisle of stalls. It was a very sunny place to put the entrance to a monster's lair.

Before I go any further in telling this tale, I will develop a new system of telling you when things are said in Parseltongue since it will happen more often now. When someone speaks in Parseltongue, I will use asterisks (*) instead of quotes, so the story does not get tedious with me telling you what is said in Parseltongue and what is not.

Tom walked forward to the sink with a snake engraved on the side of its tap and said *Open.*. The magic that followed that simple word was simply amazing. The sink in front of Tom sank into a grate in the floor, to leave an opening to the tunnel that was being uncovered by the other sinks. The marble cap of the whole collection of sinks floated into the air, and remained suspended. The smell of old water, construction, and quite simply piping rose up from below to meet my nose as I peered down the long chute. What more could you expect from the great Salazar Slytherin?

*Scared?* Tom whispered in my ear. Before I could react, he took my arm and plunged into the pipe, dragging me along with him. His hand clamped my mouth shut before I could scream. It was a good thing too, because if someone had heard me, the whole thing would be over. When we reached the bottom, Tom once again landed on his two feet, fairly steadily. And who knows how I would have landed. But luckily for me, I had no need to land since I was curled around Tom's arm again, as a snake. I must have changed partway down in my fright.

Blushing, I changed back only to be startled by the crunching sounds under my feet. The floor was littered with bones. Most of them seemed to be vermin bones, but it was disconcerting all the same. Conversely, my snake side felt like it was the best place to be and it was hoping the rats around these parts were still abundant. And my human instincts hoped it was not so, because when I changed forms with the rat still digesting in my body, my human body finds the vermin unsettling. Understandable, no? And yes, I have had experience from when I was young from the time I had found a mouse in my bedroom. I had changed and swallowed it before my logically brain could control my animal instincts. What can I say, I was young, and as a snake the vermin are delicious, mind you.

Once again, Tom was striding ahead through an algae covered pipe to a rock littered cavern. I followed quietly. At the end, there was the snake padlocked door. With a simple, *Unlock*, a snake came out from the bottom side of the hinge and slithered around the edge of the circular door as the other snakes contracted back. The door swung open to reveal the legendary Chamber of Secrets to me once again. Its sheer size stunned me yet again. Tom went down a short ladder I had not noticed before. I followed him, and the metal snake door swung closed. I wondered if the girl's bathroom entrance also closed. It must have for Tom not to be worried about it given that someone is bound to notice the immense marble block floating in midair while Tom is in the chambers. Salazar Slytherin would never have designed the place with such a risk; he was too smart for that.

"Who is that?" I asked as we approached the giant statue of the bearded head in the wall at the end of the chamber.

Tom looked at me like I was stupid. "Salazar Slytherin, my great ancestor, one of the founders of Hogwarts, and one of the greatest wizards of all time! You're from his house and you do not even know his face? Pity…"

I suppose I desired the look he gave me. It was really dumb on my part since it should have been obvious that the carving of any individual in the Chamber of Secrets would be of the maker himself. It was Slytherin's chamber and monster after all. In attempt to keep the conversation going, and to change the subject, I asked, "What kind of serpent is Ethelinda?"

"A basilisk, one of the rarest and legendary creatures of all time, is what Ethelinda is, a King of Serpents. They can live for a long period of time, centuries, which is why she is still alive even though she was born in Slytherin's time. A basilisk is born from a chicken egg hatched under a toad. She has paralyzing venom and can kill with a direct look in her eyes. If it's not a direct look, then the victim is petrified. So I warn you now, Naglia, do not look in her eyes if you want to keep breathing. I will not watch out for you no more if you accidentally look in her eyes in a reflection of something. Tell Ethelinda to close her eyes or close your own. If you get petrified, I will leave you wherever you are," he warned me.

Tom went to the edge of the basin filled with green murky water around Slytherin's head. He then called Ethelinda out. As Slytherin's mouth lowered and Ethelinda's snout emerged, I realized that now would be a good time to heed Tom's warning. With my eyes closed, I recalled the events of last night and remembered how Tom had asked either Ethelinda or me to close our eyes in order to protect me. My heart warmed to the thought that Tom had cared about me last night. And today, he put in the effort to give me a fair warning about the kind of creature Ethelinda was, it was nice of him to do so. But he also said he would not care if something unfortunate did happen to me. So does he or does he not care about me? That is the question…

*Greetings master,* Ethelinda spoke, *And hello little one…*

*Hello Ethelinda,* I replied meekly with my eyes firmly shut.

*Come, Ethelinda, let us stir up fear in the daylight and tell our prey that we cannot be stopped by the mere sun,* laughed Tom. So he knew the teachers were beginning to think the beast was nocturnal. How? I was sure they were only discussing the possibilities that morning.

Ethelinda slithered past me to the other end of the chamber, but I did not dare open my eyes. I would hear Tom walking around and wondered if it was time for me to follow. But Tom was walking to the side, or at least it sounded like it. I heard a clinking noise, after which I could hear Tom approach me.

"You can open your eyes now, Ethelinda is over there, and she will not look this way because I am here," said Tom. I opened my eyes to see Tom tucking a vial with red fluid inside it into his robes. "It is rooster blood to write the messages since my petrified victims do not bleed." I shivered at the thought, being the innocent one. Tom said it like it was everyday business. In his cool tone, unflinchingly, he continued, "Stay here. Or if you are going to come, you better keep up."

Tom vocally opened the door for Ethelinda as we approached and she slithered on ahead. Still wondering about what Tom had said earlier, "How did you know that the teachers thought Ethelinda was nocturnal?"

"Cause they did not think of that themselves! I did," Tom sneered, "I was talking with Professor Merrythought after class about the attacks and how they tend to happen after dusk. I proposed many theories to her based of my supposed research; and being the star student that I am, it would have been considered normal. She just took interest in the particular proposition I wanted her to notice. Then, as the teachers grew confident that the beast was nocturnal, I would attack during the day. That is my plan. Imagine how the mudbloods would have squirmed when they realized they were not safe at anytime! But I did not know how I could have done it during the day. Lawrence could easily have been put under a memory charm since he is so weak. It is why I picked him to be my buddy. And before you even ask, it was my genius suggestion to Professor Slughorn that the buddy pairing was started. I needed Lawrence to be a false controllable witness for me just in case. But I was unsure as to how I could get out of class with a valid excuse to do the deed; since I could not do anything outside of class time with those girls constantly tailing me. But you, Naglia, have provided me with the perfect excuse, and Madam Blossom will be the perfect backup. Though this is earlier than I wanted it, it will do."

So he was annoyed with the Sly Sisters, and I had given him an escape route. The knowledge gave me pleasure. It was my first thought in reaction to his speech about how he maliciously plotted this whole thing. Need I say that I need to be sent to some psychiatric ward for those blinded by love?

You do not understand how foolish I seem to myself. Before I met Tom, I was a person very different and cynical in terms of discussing love. I had not believed in love, or desired it, but I had fallen into its pit once I met him. Now, reflecting back, and as I tell this story, I realize more and more how ridiculous my existence was, it is as if the spell he had cast on me is wearing off. I do wonder if it is a part of the curse. Anyways, I will continue to tell my tale.

We were at the bottom of the pipe that led back up to the girl's lavatory. Ethelinda, it seemed, had already ascended up the chute using her great strength and long body. But how were we going to go up? I was not awake when Tom left the chamber, so I did not know how we were supposed to get out. "How do we get out?"

"You levitate," he replied, and floated up a few feet without uttering a thing, or even raising his wand, which he had out in his hand. I knew how to levitate things since first year, but I did not know how to levitate myself. Nor do I think it is even taught at school, cause the only ways in which I know people can fly is by using a broom, winged shoes, pixie dust, or using some other object that enables you to do so; but Tom did not appear to have any of these things. Oh, and by being a ghost you can fly, but I am sure Tom is still alive. So how did he do it? No one I know knows enough magic to fly with a word, movement, or an object. I simply gaped at him. He laughed, "You do not know how, do you?"

I nodded my head in response. Setting back down on the ground, he said, "Well, I suppose I should not be surprised, since it is not a spell normally taught in class, let alone in the school. It is considered to be too complex for us kids. Ha, I learnt in three days what the stupid book said should have taken an experienced wizard months or years. Enough, we need to go before next class comes and those Sly Sisters stalk me."

He took me by my waist and up we floated. From the moment we rose to the moment we landed on the tiled floor of the washroom, I truly enjoyed myself as I deeply inhaled his scent. I was blushing the whole way up, but hopefully he had not noticed since my head was bent down while he had been looking up. The Sly Sisters would kill to have my spot at this precise moment. For the first time in my life, I felt truly special and privileged. As the chamber opening closed behind us, my heart beat flattered since Tom was no longer holding me but heading towards Ethelinda, who was curled up between the stalls with her eyes closed.

*What do you smell, my serpent?*

*Flesh, blood... Time to kill!* replied Ethelinda.

*Where is the closest?*

* Two, coming down the hall... Can I go master?*

*No. First, Naglia go see if they are mudbloods,*

"I cannot-" I started. Me? Go find who was supposed to be the next victims?

"If you do not listen-"

"No, wait... it is not that I do not want to," I lied, knowing what his threat would be already, "It would be odd, would it not, if I walk around the school alone without a buddy..."

"Who said to go as a human?" he coolly replied.

Oh...Well then, I suppose I had no choice then. I wonder if he realized I did not particularly want to do this. I hope not, because I do not want him to disapprove of me. I changed forms, and slithered out the door, which Tom cracked open for me. I slithered along, on the shadowed side of the hall and quickly curled myself in an alcove.

There were footsteps coming down the hall. My forked tongue instinctively tasted the air, and sure enough it was two humans. As soon as the pair passed my little hiding spot in the shadows, I peered out to see who it was.

It was easy to tell who they were, which was relieving since it would have been problematic if it was someone I did not know, like a first year or something. Only the East Asian twins have their hair pinned up with chopsticks; their names were Ming and Ling Tao. It was a pity I knew they were muggle-born.

Those two third years were famous in school because of the foreign background, and their distinct behaviour. They are so alike, that they are like clones of one another in looks, movement, voice, and grades. Even as I watched them, they were mirroring one another, by putting the same foot forward and walking in the same gait. The Ravenclaw twins seemed to be constantly suspicious of everyone, they never laughed out loud. The two girls were known to have the fastest reflexes ever, which most probably came from some kind of martial arts training they had before they found out they were witches. As they turned the corner to an adjoining hall, I slithered back to Tom.

"It is the muggle-born Asian twins," I said, as I stood into my human form.

Tom raised his wand to open the doors of the lavatory, as I closed my eyes, and stood back. *Rise and fulfill Slytherin's wishes! Go after the twins you smell down the hall!*

I could hear Ethelinda swish past me to the hall. I opened my eyes and followed her tail, fascinated in a sick way to see the serpent's power. Tom was gliding ahead of me, just behind Ethelinda's tail. Walking quietly and rapidly, but still far behind, I wished I could glide through the air like Tom. I stopped at the corner of the hall where Tom stood and watched the events down the hall with him. Ethelinda was just behind the girls. Surely the twins should be running, screaming or at least noticing Ethelinda's presence, no? They were calmly, but swiftly, walking, unfazed. Or so I thought. Just as Ethelinda reared her head back to strike, the girls turned partly, and froze. And Ethelinda dropped her head without striking, *I have failed again, master...*

"Damn," Tom muttered. As we got closer, I saw that both girls had turned to either side ready to throw a razor metal disk, together at the same instant in perfect harmony. Only the reflection of Ethelinda in their silver weapons had saved their lives. I had no idea where they pulled out those bladed boomerangs or even if they are allowed to have them, but I was relieved that they did.

*Let us try another time, Ethelinda, go back to the bathroom before we are spotted,* ordered Tom. "Well, let's leave a note, shall we. I am getting tired of going back up to the other wall and it is getting too crowded there. Why waste the nice white wall here? Let's spread the blood and terror! It will make some of those first year muggle-borns have nightmares walking in a school covered in blood..."

Tom opened the vial and pulled out the blood covered brush attached to the lid. I watched silently, as Tom wrote on the wall in rooster blood.

**Fear the beast in moonlight, and sun.**

We left, before anyone could catch us. Class was going to end any moment now, so Tom moved swiftly. He opened the chamber and Ethelinda hurtled down. I think she found the drop exhilarating. Tom turned to me and said, "Do not scream on the way down this time. Because if someone finds us because of your screaming, I will lay the whole thing on you, and kill you later."

"I will not scream, if you hold me..." I mumbled without thinking. Why do I keep blurting out embarrassing things like that? He raised an eyebrow as I approached him. I took his arm and changed forms. I raised my serpent head and looked at him for approval. He scoffed, and jumped.

When we reached the bottom, I changed, and stepped away. He wiggled his arm and grumbled, "Do not squeeze my arm so tightly, next time I will fling you off."

As he went on his way, I made a note to myself to remember that. Since, I had a feeling I was going to be wrapped around his arm more often. And I had been right back then; I did spend a good chunk of my life on his arm. He had already let Ethelinda in when I reached the snake lock door, and she was already veering off, away into a pipe to the right between the other basilisk heads. Seeing as Tom was not bothered by the fact that Ethelinda was not going back to her nesting chamber, I assumed that it was a normal occurrence. I stood by the locked door, unsure as what to do with myself. Tom was putting the vial away in a niche by a serpent head. He returned and walked back to the pipe from the washroom. I followed. The metal door swung close and locked behind me. At the base of the chute, Tom turned and took me by my waist and we floated up. If helping Tom involved close moments like this, maybe I could live with things this way...


	9. Criminal

Chapter 9: Criminal

Just as we reached the dungeon hallway with the Slytherin common room entrance, class ended. By the time I had changed into my Slytherin uniform, and dumped the musty gastric fluid smelling Gryffindor one into the laundry, all the Slytherins were already getting ready for next class.

"Naglia, you alright? I mean, you've just had two visits to the hospital wing in one day. Are you okay?" asked Madrie, who I met at the bottom of the stairs when I came down to the common room.

"Yes, Madam Blossom gave me a flesh growing salve," I replied. I strongly debated adding in the fact that I had just seen the basilisk petrify the Asian twins, and been close enough to Tom's face to see every one of his eyelashes. Fortunately for me I did not say that, especially the last bit, because if I had I probably would have been decapitated right then and there.

"You, klutz, you thought you could get with Tom alone? I know you did it on purpose, Tom would never be so clumsy," said Trix. She was right behind me. Tareese Fyrth, my roommate, was beside her. She must have told Trix as soon as Potions ended what had happened. Why was I constantly the one at fault when the acid was spilt on me? "If you are ever alone with him again, I'll make you wish you never born. So stay clear. "

"Sure. Just tell Tom to spill the acid on you next time."

"Pardon me?" As expected in any student confrontations, there were spectators. Everyone was looking at Trix and I, and I hated the attention. I felt like I was being assaulted by the stares. Couldn't we just skip to the end of this day?

"Everyone listen up- Come back in-Classes are cancelled for today." Thank you, Professor Slughorn! Everyone around me cheered, but for a different reason. They were happy that classes were cancelled, whereas I was happy everyone's attention was diverted to Professor Slughorn. The students, who had just stepped out of the common room, came in back again just as the cheering was dying down. Professor Slughorn did not look pleased to see our happiness, instead he looked very grave. "Two students have been found petrified. Until the Ministry official arrives to examine the victims and the Headmaster reaches a decision on how to continue to conduct the school in a safe manner, all students will be staying in their Houses until further notice."

"What? We're stuck in here all day?" whined Trix.

"Yes, Miss Black, unless you would like to step out right now and tell the creature that is hunting us in the halls right this minute to stop," reproached Professor Slughorn.

"Sorry, Professor," apologized Trix. Finally, someone put her in her place.

"That's alright, Miss Black, it is a trying time after all. I, too, am not fond of being confined," replied Professor Slughorn with a weak smile. After returning the smile with a mournful one of her own, she turned back to me with a sneer on her face. Figuring that I was going to be the outlet for her anger, I stepped around her and approached Professor Slughorn.

"Professor, I was wondering if I could stop by your classroom one day so I may get a chance to complete that brew. I would like to help my mother out with maintaining the gardens you see," I smiled sweetly.

"Yes, but don't you have house elves to do that sort of work at your home Miss Darcini?" he blurted, cause I highly doubted he purposely put me on the spot.

"Oh, yes, we have a house elf, but my mother likes to take care of the garden herself, the flower gardens, of course, not the vegetable garden," I lied. My house elf had passed away not too long ago since the poor girl was overworked and very old. My mother got me to swear that no one was to find out that our family lacked a house elf as well as a father. And since we never had too many visitors and have tightly zipped mouths, no one has yet found out. My family has a long history of having secrets and keeping them. As I inclined my head, I said, "Thank you, Professor, and now I best try and make sense of the Ancient Runes work I meant to finish this morning since I now have the time."

I left, with Madrie following me. Trix was left behind frustrated that she could not say anything more to me with Professor Slughorn there and I was gone before she could pull me aside. Someone was asking Professor Slughorn who the victims were, and since I already knew all the details I was sure I was not going to miss anything, or be missed. Trix, I hoped, would remain behind to find out all the details before she came after me, which I am sure she will do. In our dormitories, Madrie handed me my Potions stuff, "I picked these up for you."

"Thanks."

"I had to walk back with Tareese and Giselle," muttered Madrie, "It was terrible. Those two only talk about boys. Giselle was talking about her boyfriend Felix Gemice, and Tareese about Tom Riddle. She was saying how you were the worst witch alive and should be sent to Azkaban just for being the victim of Tom's accident. And I thought muggles were the worst... I'll trade Tareese in any day for my sister-in-law, because she doesn't whine even though she can't do anything. It really is amazing how muggles survive without magic..."

I had attracted attention to myself. I, who prided myself with being able to become wall paper, had snapped at Trix and retorted back. It was against the grain of my nature. Or was it? It kind of felt good to tell her off. But I still don't like the attention of the crowd. I hoped being confined to our dormitories meant no more messy situations. I would like some boring about now, thank you. It really was a bad day and Madrie's random burst of conversation was not helping. I needed some time to think on my own and a place to go where Trix couldn't find me. I think I deserved the treat, yep; I'll go take a good bath.

"-such a stuck-up girl, really, I hope some acid gets on her as well, and let's see if she thinks it's a sane thing to do then-"

"She would do it on purpose, if it meant being alone with him." Am I defending her? I mean, I am not sure if I wouldn't do it on purpose myself, had I thought up such a thing and decided to come out from the wall paper. I would never trade anyone for anything for those precious moments I spent with Tom as a consequence. It was worth the burning, which was easily solved with water and a salve. It just bothers me that I am the one at fault when really Tom if the culprit, for everything. "Madrie, I am going to bathe. If Trix comes around, just make sure she doesn't damage anything too much."

I looked over my bed. There were not any important things around besides my wand, which I took with me. Trix will not ever see my wand lying around, not after what happened today. I went to the girls' baths. I locked the last bath stall, and stripped down. Taking a fresh towel hanging on the side, I wrapped it tightly around me. I put my wand on the floor. For some reason when I transform, only clothes transform with me, including towels, sashes and other such fabric; but accessories never do. Accessories like my wand, jewellery, and glasses. My wand I usually swallow partway, like I was doing then on the damp pine green tiled floor. I have not worn any jewellery as of yet in my life. And glasses, luckily, I have no need of. The last stall had a rat hole behind the small tub. And off I went. This is how I usually go when I cannot use the passage in my room. This passage was more unpleasant however, not as dry and muck free as the other one.

The prefect's bath was a wonderful place. I stumbled, or rather slithered upon it in my third year. As the gazillion pipes streamed a whole lot of what not into the pool, I sank down into the bubbles, with my towel strewn carelessly on the floor. Finally, I was in a place where I could think. How was I ever going to get Trix off my back? Maybe all she'll do is try to isolate me more, which would only be helpful so maybe it will be alright. But she had already done that, and I think she is the type of person who would try something else...

Anyways, to turn to more pleasant topics, Tom, was he there in the common room? I could not recall if he was. He probably is laughing about my predicament with Trix. Or maybe he was planning his next attack. I changed back into serpent form and sank down into the water as I remembered his lashes and deep eyes.

I swam a little, like a snake would. It felt good. I emerged for air human again through a bunch of pink bubbles. It was funny to think that all the water in the tub drained away to where Ethelinda was slumbering all these years. The pipes were really an ingenious way to hide an enormous snake. There are plenty of rats around in sewage to sustain such a long lived creature. And bats, since I was sure I spotted a couple of those as well in the large cavern before the chamber. Maybe I could visit Ethelinda on the nights I have a headache. She would not kill a fellow snake, right? I'll take some meat just in case. Either way it would be better than the library, whose best books I have already read. Another plus point is that there are no patrolling teachers to worry about either down in the chamber.

Tom might be there too. If I am to feel Trix's wrath for a crime I did not commit, if being alone with Tom is a crime in the first place, then I might as well commit that crime and spend some time with him alone every night at place where Trix could never go because she is not cursed. Pleased, I got out to dry myself, firmly wrapped my towel around me and slithered back to the bath stall.


	10. Knights

Chapter 10: Knights

"You tell her that she better watch herself next time. We'll let her off the hook for now, humf!" That was Trix's voice for sure. Looks like I just missed the party, because I could hear a whole bunch of people go out the door. I peered a little out of the hole to see my stall door was opened, probably banged open, but before I could investigate more I heard movement. One person remained, and that person sighed and walked into my stall. It was Madrie. I felt sorry for leaving the mess for her to clean up. It was not a nice thing to do to a friend, but I am not used to having friends. I mean, I have been in the same room as her for five years, yet it is this year that I really got to know her, because of the buddy thing. I was unsure as to be grateful to Tom for that, since it was unintended. Madrie was pulling out some soaked clothes from the tub, my clothes. Good, my property did not suffer too much damage, because a little water could not do too much harm. As Madrie wrung my clothes dry for me, I swiftly slithered past her feet into the hall. I transformed and peered into back into my stall. "Madrie, I'm sorry for not giving you a hand, I didn't know they would bother you so much, too."

She jumped. "Where were you?"

"Hiding, until Trix's temper goes down... My mother is going to be mad now... I'm supposed to be in good relations with that brat."

"A-huh... Thank goodness my family is from the south, we do not have much contact with you pure blood northerners so I just need to maintain good relations with everyone on an equal basis. No need to pay extra attention to the Blacks for me, since they really cannot affect my family besides claim how our standards have dropped because of all the mixed marriages. I seriously am starting to miss my sister-in-law, she made good cakes even though there were no magic to it. Trix said some horrible things, about all the ways she could curse you for showing attitude to the Black family. It's horrible the ways you can abuse magic."

That was Madrie's second speech of the day, and that in itself tells you how much of an unusual day it was today. On a usual day, she would have stopped at 'A-huh'. Madrie was still trying to wring the clothes dry. "Stop. Here, give them to me. _Aguaciutto_."

"Where did you learn that from?" inquired Madrie, when I took my clothes from her and with a twist of my wand dried the clothes with a short incantation.

"I read too many books." Without a house elf, you tend to learn a lot of things. That was the truthful answer, but I did not really lie, because I do read a lot of books.

"Hmm... I'll let you change then." And she left without another word, like normal, with her luminous brown curls bouncing as she went. I changed and returned to my dormitory after dumping my laundry. I took out my Ancient Runes work. I put my arm on the table, and my hand in hair as I tried to translate the passage. I had no idea how to even start. In class it makes sense, but when I do it on my own, I swear my homework is written in a different language than the one taught in class. It's all a conspiracy to make a student's head spin. Why did I take Ancient Runes again? Oh yeah, to see if I could find anything related to the ancient curse my family and I are under.

"Do you want help with that?" Madrie was standing behind my shoulder. "I'm from Egypt, you know. My family has to deal with many ancient inscriptions, and runes. It would be no problem for me."

"I thought you were only good at Herbology."

"Thanks."

"I mean, it seemed to be the only subject you liked."

"Yes, but I am skilled in Ancient Runes. Just don't want my parents to know that I am that good at it. I want to do some Herbology stuff in my future, not pore over ancient scriptures like my father usually does. If they see that I do not have skill in Ancient Runes, then I am free to do what I please. I will not be bothered or 'convinced' into becoming a part of the family business."

"You know, you are talking a lot today."

"I know, my mouth's starting to hurt from all the strain. It's been an odd day. If things get worse, my parents might take me home. I am so far from home as is; they rather have me close than to have my life at risk here even if it means I will have to stop my studies. And if I have to leave, my parents will take it upon themselves to educate me, and there will be no end to the Ancient Runes work I will have to do then. It's all they know how to teach. So I am kind of on edge about all this heir and monster stuff, because it might put my dream to become a herbologist at an end. I told my parents in the last letter that the monster is only targeting mudbloods, and that I will be able to safely study. They replied saying accidents can happen and that the heir may attack me because my sister in-laws are muggles. Yeah... huh... Thanks, I feel a lot better now that I have told someone. You want help or not?"

"Sure," I smiled back weakly, patting her hand; it's what my mother did to me when she wasn't wailing. It was comforting. I wish I had simple enough problems to share like that. Madrie was great help for I was done in no time. Madrie went to tend to the young plant she had brought into the dormitory last week. I took up a book that I had gotten from the library. It was about the many uses of wolf bane. I glanced up at the time piece then at Madrie, she smiled back in understanding. It was noon, lunchtime. Hungry as I was, having vomited earlier anything that was in me, I wondered if the other half of the day would be mercifully normal.

"Slytherins! To the common room, now, hurry up!" It was Slughorn. Maybe we were going to go to the Great Hall for lunch. I followed Madrie down to the common room. "This is the decision the Minister of Magic Germage Wheater and Headmaster Dippet has come to; students will now be escorted class to class in groups by the knights in armour. If you miss your knight escort, be sure to catch up with it. And buddies must make sure their partner is there with them in the group or must stay behind with them. If your buddy is with the group, you are not required to walk beside them. That is an amendment for those of you having difficulties with your buddy, which reminds me that I am also to now consider new buddy pairings for those of having difficulties to the extent as to want another buddy. The knights will now be patrolling the school at night, and they are told to take anyone they see after 7."

Professor Slughorn took a pause, "Yes, be glad that the Headmaster decided not to send you all to your dormitories earlier. Many of the Professors wanted you all back to your Houses after dinner. Two teachers will be sleeping here in each House now on. Professor Amardo and I will be the teachers for Slytherin. And all Quidditch practices are to be supervised by the Head of House." Slughorn sighed in the direction of the Slytherin Team Captain after he said that, as Professor Slughorn will now have to get up early in the morning so the Slytherin team can go to practice.

"Before every meal, the knights will escort you to your houses and from there after a five minute intermission the knights will escort you to the Great Hall. After the meal, each house is to follow their knights back to their house. Now for the seniors, meaning the fifth, sixth and seventh years, you may find you will not have an escort to your class, since we have only a limited number of knights, so you are to proceed to your class as usual with your buddy. Juniors-"

"Professor, how do we not have enough knights? They are everywhere in this castle!" It was a seventh year girl, whose name was on the tip of my tongue, but alas I could not remember. But I could remember that the girl was a scaredy-cat, most definitely not a Gryffindor. Last year she had bumped into a door while walking down the hall and screamed. It was quite an embarrassing scene. She looked like someone had walked over her grave. Even I was not as absent minded as to walk into a door that had been held open for the whole day, every day of the year. Professor Simfon liked keeping his classroom door open so everyone could hear his music class as they walked down the hall, even if it was not always music to the ears. This year though he kept his door closed. Who would want a blood thirsty monster that is threatening the school to be attracted in by a symphony?

"Well, Hogwarts has grown remarkably since the time the knights were stationed to protect us in a time of need. So we are a few short. And you seniors know how to protect yourselves more than the juniors, so all the juniors' classes will be covered. And since each class means there are two knights for each house, a good portion of the knights will be busy. And there are far more different senior classes than junior classes, meaning more classes but fewer students per group to cover for the senior years. So the Headmaster and Minister of Magic saw that they had best focus their defenses around the youngest and least experienced of the school. If any juniors are found purposely avoiding their knight, their house will lose points, they will earn themselves detention and they will be questioned as to why they were avoiding their knights. It is terrible what has happened, and I would like the house of Slytherin to be showing the proper respect to the victims. I do not want parents and the other houses muttering about how uncultured the Slytherin house is being. It may be the heir of the founder of this house that claims to be doing all this, but do not forget that it is your classmates, your teachers, the very fabric of your life and this school that is being affected. Look at me lecturing away, it's not like you all have been through enough already, Professor Merrythought and Dumbledore must be rubbing off on me with all their logical explanations... By Merlin's beard, how much those two discuss things... " Indeed, people were talking a lot more than they usually do today, I thought. There was a rap on the entrance. "Ah, it's time for lunch and that would be our escort."

A whole bunch of silver armoured knights lined the walls of the dungeon just outside of the Slytherin Common Room. They were silent. It was strange. It took a second for it to click to me as to why I felt that the knights looked so odd; it was because they were not breathing. They seemed to have no life at all, like they were the same statues around the school as always, except that they were moved down to the dungeons. The Slytherin house filed out behind Professor Slughorn, and was silent at first watching the knights, wary. Who knew if the knights had enough life in them to actually watch back from the faces hidden by their helmets? I had never wondered about the knights before and wondered if there was a book in the library about it. Was the knights animated armour or souls of past knights restricted to haunting from within their armour? That is if the second is even possible, the only way you could make the dead live, besides being a ghost, to my knowledge is to make them an Inferi, which is extremely dark magic. It is such a complex piece of magic that I thought then that I would never see such magic ever in my life. I would have been right had I not have fallen in love with a certain someone.

Some of the more adventurous of us Slytherins tapped on the metal of the knights as they marched alongside with us to the Great Hall. But none of us had yet developed the nerve to speak casually, so it was a rather quiet and solemn walk with only the buzz caused by many people whispering to disturb the silence. It seemed much was the same with the other houses, only the Gryffindors seemed slightly more thrilled at seeing the knights of Hogwarts come to life. Well, it's hardly any surprise considering knights are the iconic breed of the brave. As I entered the Great Hall just after the Gryffindors, I even overheard one sixth year Gryffindor saying, "-knights are supposed to be over a century old, and possibly created at the time of the Hogwarts founders."

"Really, Minerva, do you reckon they were real knights from back then though?"

"No, maybe representations of the great knights of the time, but I hardly think-" and the two friends veered off towards the Gryffindor table. I watched them go, as I headed to my table. The brown haired girl I think is the prefect my fellow house members tend to complain about being rather bossy and strict when she monitors the halls. Of course, the prefects do not monitor the halls now, only rarely do you see a prefect walking down the halls alone. So her name was Minerva, good to know. I wonder what her last name is, only then can I tell if she is a pure blood and maybe save her from Tom's wrath if she walks down a hall the basilisk is preying on.

As I settled into a spot on the Slytherin table, I soon had my attention diverted to the teacher's tables. The Minister of Magic was present, standing beside the Headmaster. "Students, if I may have your attention please. I know you are worried, maybe frightened and hungry. It is all the more reason that you pay attention closely now. Hogwarts is under attack from within. Things will not be able to continue as it always has in the past at Hogwarts. The sooner the culprit is caught, the sooner we can put all this behind us. Whoever you are, I ask you to listen to what I have to say. What is to gain by ridding the world of magicians? How does a wizard of pure blood have any more potential than a wizard with tainted blood? What about not having pure blood rid you of the right to live life to the fullest or even lose you the right to live? If you have had personal issues with the wandless, then I am telling you now, as your headmaster, as an old man who has lived many years, this is not the way to resolve or overcome that issue. Why must others be punished for your misgivings about Muggles? Stop this, and we will clear up issues. We will not send you to Azkaban if you cooperate with us now, but if you do not within the next 2 days then the Ministry will not hold back on their verdict for the crimes you have committed. You will most certainly be at the very least condemned to Azkaban. Now the the Minister of Magic, Mr. Germage Wheater would like to have a few words with you."

He talked about pretty much the same thing as Headmaster Dippet, he was beseeching the culprit to confess. He went on to explain how there would now be a ministry official always present at Hogwarts starting tomorrow until the ordeal is over. Anyone who has any information concerning the tragic events happening was to speak to the ministry official. He encouraged the silent wide eyed students staring at him to have courage and speak out on any information they have on. I sneezed. My sister, the second child in my family, always talked about how someone must be thinking about you when you sneeze randomly. I think she got it from her in-laws because my mother never talked about it. Anyways, I had a distinct feeling it was Tom, probably worrying about me going to have a conversation with the ministry official.

When the minister finished, the headmaster commenced lunch. I turned to my plate, and causally glanced around my table to find Tom looking at me with a dangerously dark look. I debated smiling back at him to reassure him. But when I saw Trix looking at from me to Tom, I ignored them both and served myself a mound of food. I was starving, and if I was to deal with those to two anymore today I do not want to do it on an empty stomach.

Classes remained to be canceled for the day, and the school seemed like it was mourning. Whether if it was over the recent tragic events or the fact that all the houses were cooped up, it was hard to tell, but it was all together somber. It was good for me because I spent most of my time reading beside Professor Slughorn in the common room while he read as well. It kept Trix away, and Tom was nowhere to be seen. Thus, I happily finished reading about the various uses by wolfbane, without having to deal with Trix or Tom. Slughorn at some point woke up and answered some questions with homework for anyone who cared to ask. The knights escorted us to dinner, and I evaded seating anywhere near Trix and Tom. Everyone seemed to be in a sour mood, for there was a lot of grumbling. After dinner, I was back beside Professor Slughorn with another book. He spoke a little with some of the seventh years about some of the careers they were considering. But not long after, he fell asleep in one of the couches. Just before seven o'clock, Professor Amardo came in and sent the rest of us to our dormitories while grumbling about the fact that he had to sleep in the common room. Professor Slughorn snored on. I watched Professor Amardo transfigure one of the other couches into a bed, as I climbed the stairs to the girls' dormitory. Thank goodness, the day had finally come to an end.


	11. Cronies and Sisters

Chapter 11: Cronies and Sisters

Days passed since the last incident and things were relatively quiet. People were afraid, constantly whispering. No one dared to laugh, except the Slytherins. Trix's laugh was the most annoying, which was why I sat as far as possible from her. And who wants to tempt her into carrying out the penalty she promised me for talking back at her a few days ago? So I stayed clear.

Well, I tried to, but a certain someone was not helping. Tom was keeping an annoying watch on me. Whenever I was walking through the hall with the ministry official's office branching from it, Tom was somehow always there with Lawrence trailing behind him. I had no intention of going to the ministry official, but it was beginning to irritate me how Tom kept thinking I would. But then I would placate myself by thinking about how my crush was watching my moves, no one else's, out of all the girls in Hogwarts, even if it was for totally unromantic reasons.

Recently at the Slytherin table, I would sit as far as I was physically able to from where the Sly Sisters had sat, not that I often sat near them. They usually sat where the guys who thought they were Tom's friends sat, and left a seat empty in the middle of their huddle so that when Tom came in, he could sit there. That's how the seating system worked for Tom since the Sly Sister Club had formed, and the boys did not mind at all that those ladies wanted to sit with them even if Tom was the reason. As Tom always came in just before dinner began, they used the time they had before he came to flirt. Some of Tom's so called friends even succeeded in convincing a couple to Tom's fanatic fans to date them. Tom, on the other hand, probably had been timing his arrival to be just before food was served to avoid having to sit with the Sly Sisters and all his so called friends for longer than necessary. Even though he kept his timing just the same as before, Tom, as of late, had not been going to the spot the Sly Sisters had preordained for him.

The first time this occurred, it was three days after the Minister of Magic had come. The Headmaster had warned them that morning at breakfast that since the culprit had not as of yet confessed that when they are caught they may be sentenced to Azkaban. Perhaps it was this that made Tom worry more; as at noon that day he sat away from the Sly sisters, and next to, you guessed it, me.

I had drowsed through most of Ancient Runes the day before, so I was asking Madrie to go over the lesson again with me so I could comprehend what was going to happen in class that day after lunch. We were sitting at the front end of the Slytherin table, and the Sly Sisters and the rest of them were sitting on the back end. I was pleased, for I was at the maximum distance away from them as I could ever be. So I did not expect anything like what had happened.

Madrie was attempting to draw a rune character in the air as she explained to me what it meant, when her hand slowly fell. I was thoroughly confused at the downward tail her finger was drawing for the letter, when I was sure it ended in a curl. For all the characters I had seen on the board before we had left class yesterday had ended in curls, unless I missed one. So I looked back at Madrie to ask her, but her eyes were widening and her mouth was agape. Noticing that her hazel orbs were following something behind me, I assumed it to be Trix finally coming to teach me 'respect'. But it was a strange choice of location for her, as it was the Great Hall with practically all of Hogwarts looking on. Perhaps it was just a threat; a quiet whisper to warn me about what was to come later today perhaps?

Someone sat down beside me, so I put on a neutral face and turned to face Trix's wrath. Tom stared coolly back at me. Caught by surprise, as I was prepped to defend against Trix and not Tom, I blushed. It was the worst thing I could have done at that moment with Trix watching us down the aisle. In that moment, Trix knew I liked Tom. I turned back around to Madrie, willing my face to resume its normal shade. Tom did not seem to mind that I had shunned him. Lawerence sat went around the front end of the table and sat across from Tom. He seemed happy, as I suppose he did not often get a chance to sit this near Tom when all the other cronies and Sly sisters around.

Strangely enough, most of Tom's friends were older than him. But, intellectually speaking they were most definitely below Tom's standards; so Tom had occasionally given them pointers about certain things about how to use magic to empower oneself. Perhaps this is why the seniors liked Tom, as it was only through him that they learnt anything at Hogwarts, even though it was only offensive spells. The sixth years Rabastan Lestrange and Marcel Avery usually flanked Tom on either side when they went around the school during free time, but their contact with Tom had been greatly reduced by the Chamber of Secrets situation so that they only saw him at the Great Hall. Derrick Rosier was also a sixth year, but he was terribly daft, so he did not spend too much time with Tom as he was usually in detention. This amused me for he was Trix's cousin.

Speaking about the Black family, there were other members of the esteemed bloodline at Hogwarts besides Trix. There are the seventh years Lucretia Black and Walburga Black, who were like twin sisters except that they were in fact second cousins. Walburga Black is Trix's father's far younger sister, so Trix's aunt even though she was only six years older. Tom, I think, drew some of his purity ideas and knowledge of terminology for every kind of the impure ones from Walburga back in his first year when he talked to her, for Walburga was very strict when it comes to purity. Everyone thought Tom or her may have had a crush on the other. I think Tom was just trying to understand the pureblood perspective, and Walburga proudly taught him how to stick up his nose like a prude. But as for her liking him, I do not think she did, because I think the ambiguity of his bloodline deterred her. She hated associating with anyone who was not pure; and you would notice that Walburga has never literally touched anyone that was not pure-blooded. Luckily, Lucretia was a publicly good-natured, so when Lucretia was with Walburga people managed to stand purity obsessed prig. Then there was Lucretia's brother, a third year named Orion Black, who, before the current restrictions placed on the student movement, would follow Lucretia and Walburga around everywhere. He was a solemn but happy child, that listened to everything Lu and Walga, as he would affectionately call them, told him.

And when Orion was not with those two, he was often with his classmate and Rabastan's younger brother Rodolphus. The third year, Rodolphus Lestrange, was a bit more mature than his older brother with a calmer demeanour but appeared to be a bit thick. But like his brother Rabastan, Rodolphus admired Tom, and Orion did not as strongly, as he was more of his sister's and Walburga's little follower than Tom's. So Rodolphus preferred to hang around with Thomas Nott, a fourth year that followed Tom like bee to nectar. Thomas Nott was fairly smart amongst the Slytherins, for he wanted to be as good as Tom is at everything since he met Tom. He had been tagging along with Tom ever since he got involved with their pranks on Ogg from almost two years ago. Tom and Thomas never got caught as the master minds behind the pranks but Derrick Rosier like usual did, along with Rabastan on some days when he got cocky and careless.

The oldest of Tom's devotees was the seventh year Alfred Mulciber. He was nineteen; having stayed back a year at Hogwarts as he was suspended for a period of time last year and thus had not been able to complete his final year with his classmates. The man was a flirt, and a slimy feel all over him. I know this well, because Alfred tried his tactics on me back when I was in third year. I, like I had done with the other guys that have noticed me, refused to date him. I still remember him telling me how the moment he saw my emerald eyes, love was blooming between us and we need not only to reach out to one another and grasp the rose of passion. And if you think he was implying something, you bet he was and it disgusted me that he was asking it of me before I had even agreed to date him at the age of fifteen. Not only that, but I had just found out three days before that my parents had separated, and so I was in no good mood to tolerate a jerk like him to tell me such phony lines. And so I rejected him with a curse that made flowers bloom from his special appendage for the day, saying, "See you don't need me to make flowers of passion bloom there."

It was a spontaneous decision on my part, one the things I have done in my life that surprised even me. Luckily, the incident did not attract any attention when it happened as we were alone in a corridor. Nor did it sprout any stories that brought me into the spotlight later for he did not mention it to anyone as the episode would harm Alfred's pride as a man. I ignored his existence as he ignored mine just like everyone else soon afterwards did as the scandal about my parents became common news in the Slytherin house, not that I was a very flamboyant peer figure either. And for those of you who are wondering where I even learnt such a spell, it was just a nifty piece of defensive magic we women use; my aunt had taught it to me.

Tom, I believe, watched Alfred and learned how to flirt, but of course Tom was much more refined and delicate in the manner in which he treated women when he wanted something from them. Like the time he had been with Madam Blossom, or even the time he had pushed me up against the wall and threatened me, there was a seductive air about him. Or perhaps it was just my over-active imagination. Why am I in love with such a difficult character? It is so hard to tell when he is being sincere, that is if he ever is.

Antonin Dolohov, a first year, and the newest admirer and 'friend' of Tom's was also a family friend of mine. Or at least used to be, for Antonin's mother had long stopped coming over to my family's house to console my mother. And the fact that my mother was not being very welcoming either now that the house elf was gone did not help sustain the relationship either.

Antonin was among the few first years that I actually knew before the teacher announced his name to come up to the Sorting Hat. When Trix by chance ended up sitting beside Tom after being sorted, Antonin got to sit across from Tom, as Tom had come in just before the first years did and so had to sit at the end of the table the first years would come with his buddies Rabastan and Marcel. And like Trix had fallen for Tom, Antonin adored the ideal senior image Tom presented. Though the boy did not get too involved with Tom thus far this year, due to the limitation on student movement, he still remained an avid admirer of Tom. Antonin would sit as discreetly and close as possible to Tom's group of friends. And slowly he was becoming friends with Thomas and Rodolphus.

And if I knew the boy well enough from the times he came over with his mother to my house, I would say that he was also probably jealous of Trix and her ability to be in such close proximity to Tom despite being a first year like him. For Antonin was always like that, he got jealous and greedy easily. His parents never taught him better; in fact they spoiled him, which worsened it. My siblings and I soon learned to keep our things hidden from Antonin's prying eyes.

When mother announced the Doholov family was coming over, we would race about the house hiding away our new trinkets and model brooms and what not. Only leaving out the things Antonin already knew we had, and the things we did not care too much for. For if he spied anything of value that we had and he did not, he would cause a fuss, even if it was in the presence of another family entirely, and demand that he have one as well. Sometimes his parents would concede and go shopping with him after to find the thing, after asking us from where we had gotten it. But that only happened when we Darcini children struck lucky.

Most of the other time, my mother, being a kind host and ignoring her own children's protests with sharp glances our way, would offer to give Antonin our toy to save his parents the trouble of finding it themselves. Benji was still bitter with my mother over the miniature dragon he had lost that way. He had bought it with the money he saved from his allowance over the past year and a half.

The worst scenario of all, the one we feared the most of happening again though it had only happened once, was when Reno and Sylvester had come late for dinner after successfully test riding their modified broomstick, not knowing they would be walking with their creation right into Antonin's view. The Dolohov's had come over for dinner, and my mother had only told us about it at noon. Reno and Sylvester had left in the morning with father as he would drop them off by a field on his way to work. They had not known about Antonin coming over that day and nobody got around to warning them as we were busy hiding our own things. Antonin had gotten up from the dinner table and walked like the insolent child he was and pointed at the modification at the end of the broomstick and said, "What is that?"

With the Dolohov adults looking and our mother discreetly signalling at Reno and Sylvester to give an appropriate answer, my brothers, with no choice, told the boy that modification generated bubbles of a multitude of colours to trail after the flyer. And Antonin replied, "Show me."

So Reno cast a spell on the broom, as he had just graduated from Hogwarts and was allowed to do so. Five-year old Antonin clapped his hands and exclaimed in excitement as Sylvester swung the broom around and bubbles began to spew forth from the end. Mr. Dolohov leaned forward and speculated, "Fascinating magic. The bubbles emerge from the bristles and yet do not pop. Well done, boys."

Before either of my eldest brothers could voice their thanks, we the Darcini children heard the words we hated most come forth from that brat's mouth, "I want that."

At this, even my mother did not seem comfortable to offer it up for free; as it was a project her sons have been working on so Reno could use it to convince one of the wizards at Charmed Broomsticks and Staffs Corporation to take him on as an apprentice. And his meeting with the CBSC would be next week, so it would take a miracle for him to make one in time for it as the project had already taken four months, far longer than they expected with the interview just around the corner. So my mother offered, "Perhaps Reno and Sylvester can make you another one Antonin dear, it just might take some time."

Seeing that my mother was not going to help this time, Antonin whined, "No, I want one now!"

There was silence for a moment. Then Mr. Dolohov cleared his throat and spoke up. I personally thought he was finally going to tell Antonin that he could not get everything he wanted. But father like son I suppose… "How about this, boys, why don't I buy your broom from you? Your mother was telling me, Reno, how you are looking into the broomstick business. So consider this your first sale, and it's to a friend so that is sure to bring good luck to your business, isn't that right Zurina? Who better to be your first customers than us? And I will pay you 100 galleons for it as well. No make that 150 galleons, we are family friends after all."

"Perhaps you could borrow it for a bit, like say a week," my brother Sylvester bravely spoke up.

"Borrow it? Why do that when we can buy it from you? Or was 150 galleons too little? I am sorry, I was not too sure about the market prices of these things these days. Would 200 galleons suffice? And it is also best that I buy it from, just in case our little Antonin gets reckless and breaks it. We would not have to deal with stuff like compensation and such after if something does happen to it," Mr. Doholov reasoned.

And what could we have said in defense, for the greedy man and his son did not seem to want to leave our house unless they will be taking the broom with them. And so my brothers accepted the deal, and took the money. It was a really good price for the broom at that time, but the 200 galleons did not amount to the effort my brother's had put into their first real broom. All they had left were their miniature models which Reno took too his interview but it did not suffice. And for a week, the atmosphere in the Darcini house had been like someone had died.

Father was furious when he came home later saying could we not have stopped it in any way, yelling at my mother saying how she could not even protect her son's future, for becoming a good broom designer was like becoming an engineer in some aspects. Just like how becoming an Auror was like becoming an FBI agent in the muggle world. He had already begun to dislike Mr. Doholov, and every time they came over since then, my father tended to be a little bitter. My father was also the one who set up Reno's meeting with CBSC as his old classmate from Durmstrang was the current President of CBSC. And he too was upset when they did not take Reno on as an apprentice for it reflected badly on him that his son appeared to be not gifted enough to be accepted because he lacked an invention of his own, and because it should have been the place his first born was going to start standing on his own two feet. As Reno had been counting on the interview for employment, he found himself jobless until he managed to convince a table maker to take him on. And so my brother toiled making Ministry desks for my father and his co-workers. In his spare time though, Reno continued to make model broomsticks with Sylvester.

Despite all this, my mother continued to invite the Doholov family over saying she could not let go of her long-time friend Mrs. Doholov, for they had known each other since before they went to Hogwarts together. And so my father cursed the friendship between my mother and Mrs. Doholov, without anyone but us children hearing it, till the day he left our family. And as you know, Mrs. Doholov too eventually abandoned my mother. And Antonin treated me just as his mother treated mine. He acted as if he did not even know me. And I was perfectly happy about this, for when I saw him among the first years; I feared he would stick to my side like glue, like a bratty younger brother. And so I was greatly relieved when he did not.

Antonin, on the day Tom came and sat beside me for the first time, was exuberant. For he happened to be seated on the other side of Tom, and he had been previously sulking over the fact that the seat he managed to get this time was so far from where the Sly Sisters and cronies had designated for Tom to sit. Not letting this good chance go to waste, he chatted to Tom non-stop through the whole meal, barely eating anything himself. Tom appeared to be fully engrossed in Antonin's stories, commenting at the key points, but he was simultaneously playing footsie with me.

To this day, I have no clue as to what he was trying to do except to perhaps annoy me. He was stepping on my toes, trying to tug my shoe off, pulling my leg over and back. I, just as carefully and as slowly as he was, each time tried to keep my feet away from his without knocking into Madrie's as I hardly wanted anyone to know about the nonsense going on under the table. Thankfully, we were sitting on the side of the Slytherin table next to the wall not the Ravenclaw table, so there was no one behind us to see our feet dancing about from under the bench. As I was preoccupied with keeping my feet away from him and not squeaking in surprise when he stepped on my toes, I too, like Antonin, did not eat very much that lunch.

Due to classes, I missed out on whatever Trix was biting to say to me after lunch, though Tareese did not waste a single opportunity to glare at me. Come dinner, the same thing at lunch happened, including the footsie game. Tom's choice of sitting next to me was also proven not to be a fluke to his cronies and the Sly Sisters. Don't even ask me how I escaped Trix after dinner, for I am not even sure except that I stayed in my dorm the whole time. I went to bed holding my wand under my pillow, for I was a little scared.

* * *

To all my devoted fans, I am so sorry for the immensely long wait you had to endure before I published this chapter but I have finally touched it up, though it had been mostly done for about a month. (I can feel the horror you must all be feeling hearing that it has been done mostly for a month... :S)

Any-who, I do have some semi-happy news for you. Before this chapter (so the whole story up till Chapter 10) has been on Word a length of about 43 pages. And with all the writing I had been doing this summer season in between my job and travelling and all... the story is now 67 pages long. Now the sad part is, most of what I have spent writing is stuff that are not in chronological order and so you will not be seeing any of it soon... But I have been mulling over with a friend on whether or not I should publish a sneak peeks page with some tidbits from the stuff I have written. And well, we have yet to reach a firm decision, and I have yet to actually finalize what little bits I want so that the page is exciting, yet not too revealing, not confusing, or irritating either with the amount I leave to suspense... So anyway before I keep rambling, the point is I was wondering if you readers would like to leave some comments in the reviews as to whether or not you would like to see such a page.

Thank you so much for the writing support, and I will be cracking down on the next chapter probably with some new vigor for the Harry Potter story after seeing the final and latest movie!


	12. Leaving For a Funeral

Chapter 12: Leaving for a Funeral

The next morning I got up to find my hair brush cursed, for it would only send my hair into a frizz. If this was to make me less attractive to Tom, it would not work because he is not coming to me be because he likes me but because I know his secrets. As I was afraid of the various ointments and oils I would find in Madrie's brush, I asked Giselle if I could borrow her's. She looked at me for a moment, and then handed to me asking that I clean it before I return it. I did as she asked, grateful that she did not shun me. Tareese gave me dirty looks the whole time, whilst glancing at my brush. So I guessed that she was the one that cursed it.

I became akin to Professor Slughorn's shadow on the way to breakfast that morning, and Madrie kept glancing behind us keeping an eye on the Sly Sisters and making sure my tactic worked. And it did, they did not approach me with Professor Slughorn in such close proximity. Tom, who must have guessed at what I was doing, engaged Professor Slughorn in animated conversation about the properties of magical creature blood like dragons and unicorns so that he could be near me without making it seem entirely like he was keeping a watch on me even though I knew he was.

"Unicorn blood, you see Tom, has a rare ability to extend one's existence in the living world, but only in a cursed form. If you slay such a pure creature for greedy means, you are only worth existing as an ethereal substance between life and death, with no body or even a form like of a ghost. You live a half-life, dependant on-"

"Sorry, sir," I had stepped on Professor Slughorn's heels. I should probably take a deep breath and give the man some personal space, but Trix, not too far behind me, looked like she wanted to curse me with fiend fyre.

"Oh, not at all, not at all Miss Darcini. Were you trying to listen in and learn as well? I did not know you would be interested, but you are a good student."

"Unicorns are very beautiful and mysterious creatures, Professor, who would not be interested?" I replied with a smile, hoping he had not noticed how I had been glued to him. We approached the Great Hall, the knights marching ahead silent, if you exclude the clanking of their armour.

"I forgot to ask you, my dear, but how are you feeling after your mishap last week?"

"I am doing well; sir. Madrie went with me just yesterday to see Madam Blossom as she wanted to make sure the flesh had grown in well, as she said some students get a wart growing side effect sometimes a week after using the salve. But I was fine."

"That is good to hear… And who were you again, Miss Madrie Hadie, was it?"

"Miss Madrie Hadras, sir," Madrie replied. Professor Slughorn only remembered the names of students in his Slug Club, or due to some special circumstance like being the student that got gastric fluids spilt on them in class. As Madrie did not fit either categories and was quiet in class as well, Professor Slughorn frequently suffered from amnesia in regards to remembering her name.

"Oh, yes, yes of course!" Professor Slughorn said off-handily. All of us filed into the Great Hall and headed to the Slytherin table. Professor Slughorn calmly headed to the teachers table, and I, as quickly as I could, grabbed a pair of empty seats amongst a bunch of students leaving no room for Trix and her friends or Tom to sit near us. Trix saw what I had done, so with humphf sat down several seats down the table from me, but seeing that Tom had not picked a spot yet she cheered up. She quickly whispered to her fellow Riddle fans to clear some room for him, and beckoned to Tom to have a seat beside her.

Tom, who had been waiting for me to sit, gave me a dark look when he realized what I had done. He ignored Trix, and smiling he asked the second years across from me, "Sorry, do you mind if I sit here, I just wanted to talk to Naglia and Madrie."

The second year boys meekly nodded and made room for their senior whilst taking a good look at Madrie and I to see what may have interested Tom Riddle to have a conversation with us. I wondered at Tom's nerve. Did he think I would bolt to ministry official the moment he took his eyes off me? Madrie made an attempt to save me from the repercussions I was bound to face later from the Sly Sisters for this, though she could not quite understand why Tom was so adamant on sitting near me. "Tom, Bellatrix Black has a spot saved for you; I think she would like it if you sat with her."

"That's okay; I sit with her all the time, besides I wanted to ask Naglia how she is doing after that potions' class, I had forgotten about it until Professor Slughorn had mentioned it just now." He looked at me for a reply. I did not answer, nor was there an odd silence between us as Headmaster Dippet cleared his throat loudly silencing the entire Hall.

Headmaster Dippet made some announcements, regarding the usual threat against the Chamber of Secrets culprit and other school matters. I ignored Tom as best as I could throughout it. As soon as the Headmaster finished, the owls came in with the mail. Trix, more furious than ever, shoved her owl into a tray of bread buns after she took the letter tied to its leg. The poor thing got her claws stuck in one and had to hobble around for a bit to get it off before it took off with its mistress yelling after it for all the bread crumbs it got in her hair.

The next thing that happened was that a good number of the students of the Slytherin table made a collective gasp after reading the letter they had gotten. I noticed that it was mostly the Black family that took in a sharp breath, even Trix. Just two seats away from me sat Lucreatia, Walburga and Orion Black, and Lucreatia was mumbling, "Grandpapa Cygnus is gone…."

The day carried on much as usual, with Tom keeping his usual annoying watch on me. (Honestly, when did the fact that Tom Riddle was watching me become a usual thing?) The only difference was that Black family was somber bunch that day; Trix it seemed was a bit more upset than the rest of them as she had been particularly close to her great grandfather Cygnus Black II. So the Sly Sisters were too busy consoling their Queen to harass me, though Taresse wasted no opportunity to sneer at me. But besides that, I was much more relieved through the rest of the day. The old man must have been really important to Trix, for she paid me no attention at all. And so, I know it's a terrible thing to say, but I am glad he had to go now, his timing could not have been better for I slept well that night.

The next morning another batch of letters arrived for the Black family along with the owls for everyone else. These were elaborate grey envelops from which a sombre voice announced that they were invited to attend the solemn funeral of Sir Cygnus Black the Second. At least, I think that what was said but it was hard to tell with a bunch of the letters announcing at once. Rumors amongst the Hogwarts students said the Black family students had gotten special permission from the Headmaster to leave for three days for the funeral. I almost exclaimed, "YES!" when I first overheard it from the fourth years sitting beside Tom who was coincidently sitting next me at lunch. He was silent, not asking any weird questions about my health as he had the other day.

Later that day at dinner not a single child with the surname Black, or close relatives of the family remained. It was practically half of the Slytherin table. Oddly enough, Hogwarts seemed slightly more cheery than usual as well.

Or was that an odd thing to even consider? The fact that Tom Riddle always sits near Naglia Darcini no longer was. Even his cronies caught on, as they were sitting around Madrie and I that day, along with Tom. Poor Tareese found herself on the outskirts with Antonin Dohlov, who was sad once again as he had to sit sofar from Tom. He even acknowledged my presence that day, with dirty looks resultant of his jealously. I ignored them all to the best of my ability. The cronies did the same to me as well, especially since Alfred Mulciber was sitting across to me and he most definitely did not want to acknowledge the girl that got the better of him.

In the morning, I stretched, feeling thoroughly refreshed after a good night's sleep. Headmaster Dippet began the morning announcements, and introduced another person that would be staying with us for the investigation of Chamber of Secrets incidents. Apparently the man had been the headmaster of Hogwarts before Dippet but had left the job to pursue his ambition to make the 20th edition of his bestseller_ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ the ultimate magical creature guide. He worked for the Ministry of Magic now as an expert on magical creatures to be brought in scenarios like this for an opinion, otherwise he was free to research as much as he wished fully funded by the Ministry. His name was Newton Scamander, and he would continually update his book till he died after publishing his 52nd edition in the early 1990s.

Professors Scamandar and Dumbledore appeared to be friends at the dining table, but I was busy ignoring dirty looks from the people around me took take notice of much else about the man. Not wanting to have my breakfast spoiled by a bunch cronies, Madrie and I had gone in late, but apparently not late enough, as Tom still managed to arrange for a spot near me. I think he enjoys irritating me, and his cronies beginning to become thoroughly annoyed by me. In fact, Marcel Avery later confronted me on my way to girl's dormitories after breakfast.

"Now where are you off to missy? To fetch some more love potions to dupe Tom with?" He spat. My wrist began to hurt where he had grabbed it and jerked me around. My eyes widened, but I was not looking at him but at my crush.

"Do you believe me to be so easily duped by love potions Marcel?"

"Tom!" Marcel was taken aback, he had not been expecting to see Tom behind him. Stammering he replied, "Well, why else are you hanging around her? What about her interests you? You don't seem to like her."

"What makes you think I don't like her?"

"You haven't asked her out… And yet you always hang around her," Marcel mused.

"Stalk her is more like it." Rabastan commented with a sneer. "Maybe our Tom is shyer than we thought, and has not worked up the courage to ask her yet."

"I am not a coward," Tom snapped.

"So that means you have already asked her, and she rejected you. Pity," Rabastan assumed. "She is the queen of rejection. We dared Alfred once to ask her, and he will not tell us to this day what happened, though it is obvious he had the door slammed on his face."

Marcel turned to me, "What's wrong with Tom? Since when did your blood become so pure to reject him?"

Overwhelmed, I mumbled, "But I did not." Being able to date Tom would have been a dream come true.

"Wait, so, he did ask you?" Rabastan questioned.

"Of course I did. I found her face pleasing so I did," Tom interrupted me before I could even process a possible answer. I gaped at Tom, trying to figure how I could have missed out on him asking me out.

Marcel raised an eyebrow, still not satisfied with the state of things. "Is there anything wrong with me hanging around my girlfriend?" Tom asked Marcel pointedly.

"With all the girls fawning over you, why does she avoid you like the plague if she got the chance to be your girlfriend?"

"She was shy. She was not ready yet to be considered my girl." Tom replied readily. I blushed at his words, which Marcel took as a verification of what Tom said to be truth. So from one moment to the next, I had become Tom's girlfriend without being asked.

"So you hooked up with her without telling any of us, and probably been going on dates in secret too then," Rabastan assessed.

"No, we have not gone on any dates-" I began, as I tried to put things in order again, though I was partly delighted to be Tom's girlfriend, but it was through misunderstanding only.

Tom kissed me to shut me up. Shocked, I slowly opened my eyes again, to see Tom cradling my face as he calmly told me with both Rabastan and Marcel stunned, "And I am sorry Naglia, with the beast on the lose you know we cannot go anywhere nice enough for a date." Everyone, Marcel, Rabastan and myself felt sick seeing Tom's so called romantic side. Even Tom felt sick, and realized he erred in his acting. He must have lost his cool when he needed to do something to stop me from spilling the beans. Annoyed at himself and me, he gave me a dark look, one Marcel and Rabastan missed as his back was facing them. I paled.

"Stop acting in front of your friends Tom, you were never going to take me on a date. You were always too busy spending time with them." I hope Tom managed to catch on to my attempt to redeem him, and reunite him with his friends. Seeing an opportunity to benefit myself, I continued, "Leg games at the Great Hall are all I get."

"Oh, I see how it is Tom. The reason why you have been looking for a way to get alone when you are with us sometimes is because you want to visit her, is that it?" Rabastan laughed. "You can just tell us you want some time with her. And take her out to Hogsmead next week and maybe…" Rabastan whispered the last bit in Tom's ear. I instinctively reddened, though I had no idea what Rabastan said, though I imagined it to be inappropriate from the elfish grin he had on his face. Tom expressionlessly considered what Rabastan whispered, but after observing my reaction, he took on an irritating knowing look as if he had just figured out something useful.

"Naglia!" I turned to see that it was Madrie that called me. "What are you doing? We need to go to Charms!"

"We best be getting to Slugs class, or he may toss us out of the Club, and girls do not like us as much if we are not part of the elite," Marcel said, punching Rabastan's arm as he turned away. They left without even bothering to take their potions books with them. That was when I noticed that Tom was standing there with his charms books ready.

He looked like he was going to say something, but before he could Lawrence came up the stairs to tap him on the shoulder. I used the moment to tell Madrie, "I will be back soon. I am going to get my books."

"Hurry!" she called after me. I rushed to my room commanded my books into my arms with a quick accio. I rushed back to see most of the house empty, Lawrence and Madrie just leaving out the door to the dungeons, and Tom waiting patiently for me, as if he were lying in wait.

I walked past him, trying to catch up with Madrie, but he caught my wrist. "So you want to be my girlfriend?"

"It is better than being stalked by you and raising questions." I answered, noting that being Tom's girlfriend might also mean that the cronies will leave me alone. Though, I did not want to contemplate the Sly sisters' reaction.

"Then I am going to spend as much time as I can just with you, or so my so called friends will think, except it will not be at Hogsmead," he grinned. *But in the chamber of secrets.*

I swallowed. He leaned in close to me, and threatened, *If you breathe a word, you will know horrors worse than a basilisk. Do not ever forget that.*

After I meekly nodded my consent, he dragged me out the door saying, "That moron and your buddy should not be too far ahead…"

The Slytherins in charms class all took a sharp breath when Tom and I arrived shortly behind Lawrence and Madrie, holding hands. Tom noticed and seemed puzzled at first as he had forgotten that he had been dragging me along with him. And I was not about to wiggle-free as there was still a girl in me that was head over heels for the handsome brunette. Figuring out what happened; Tom turned to me a malicious smirk on his face as he kissed my cheek, my face going up in flame. *Remember,* he hissed, as the class erupted in whispers. He let go of my hand and I went to my seat as he went to his. Professor Vitate raised a thin black eye brow at each of us, and then turned to the board to begin class.

* * *

To Readers:

I must seriously thank all my supporters, especially if you have come back and read my latest update. I must say please continue to post comments, as everytime I get one I spend a little bit of time writing the next chapter, till eventually I get it done.

I actually had this chapter done for about a year, and only needed to proof read. I had not posted it at the time, but it was because I was hoping to finish 2 chapters at once. Never trying that stunt again. As I have only planned the next chapter and have yet to write it.

Been spending too much time on other things in life and writing other chapters for this story in the future (the scene-blurb-disease, i.e. writing about random events that will take place in Harry's time, etc.). Actually, many of you probably don't know this but I have only posted 55 pages of the 85 page word document I have, because I don't write chronologically. I like to echo things in my work, things you see in one chapter comes up in later chapters, even if its not useful to the plot, it meshes the story together, makes it one fabric ideology. So I tend to write both bits together, sorta like pairs though I don't always flesh out (completely write out, just outline) the far in the future halves of an idea. Also those 30 pages not yet posted are not even fleshed out pieces, many are schematics. So I have thought a lot about this story, and love telling it. I just need that nagging push to get 'er done, so please keep commenting! It makes me go on a guilt trip for not posting the next chapter sooner everytime I get a email notification of comment.

And thanks once again for all the support! I apologize for the massive blurb and the massive delays between postings, but rest assured I have not forgotten this story.

~PurpleInkling~


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